


Hot Girl Bummer

by Jtargaryen18 (snowqueen79), snowqueen79



Category: The Losers (2010)
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Single mom reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:34:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25057030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowqueen79/pseuds/Jtargaryen18, https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowqueen79/pseuds/snowqueen79
Summary: The uncle of one of your daughter’s friends is an annoying asshat.
Relationships: Jake Jensen/Reader
Comments: 70
Kudos: 122





	1. Chapter 1

“Let’s go girls!”

_Would this prick shut up?_

You’d only been living in this dull New Hampshire town for about a month. It was your little girl’s first soccer game as a Petunia. Your Charlie was a good player, was doing well out there even if the team was losing right now.

And the asshat in front of you was really ruining your enjoyment of the game. He was one obnoxious yell away from you smacking him across the back of his stupid head.

The whistle blew, the game continued. Charlie was off after the ball along with a blonde girl about her size, number 21, who was a strong player too. With both girls going after the ball, you weren’t surprised when the two of them collided and went down, allowing a girl from the other team to steal the ball.

“Are you kidding me?” the asshat shouted. “Who’s the new girl? She just ruined my niece’s play!”

“She did _not._ ” You couldn’t take it anymore. “They both went after the ball. That’s what they’re supposed to do.”

Angling those wide shoulders, the asshat turned his head in your direction. “My niece is the star of the team.”

You chuckled. “I know. You’ve been saying it the whole damn game.”

Shaking his head, he went back to watching the game. The collision had cost them a point and the game continued.

Now your Charlie and the asshat’s niece were really going after it, trying to one-up each other. The asshat’s niece, to her credit, did manage to score the next two points which tied up the game. One last play and the Petunias managed to steal the ball. Charlie took aim and scored the winning point.

The Petunia fans, including yourself and the asshat, stood and clapped.

Preening to the friends he brought with him, the asshat hooted, shouted.

“See that?” he asked, finally turning to face you. “My niece… won the game.”

There he stood in his baseball cap, round dorky glasses, and a goatee. He had a pink Petunias shirt. _Cute._ And the body? Well, _that_ you couldn’t find fault with.

He had nice eyes too, bright blue. His gaze scaled you up and down. You were grateful that for once since you’d fucking been here he was silent.

“In case you didn’t notice,” you told him, folding your arms across your chest. “ _My_ daughter scored the winning point.”

And with that, you headed for the end of your bleacher row, smirking to hear his friends laughing as you made your exit.

You found Charlie on the field, gave her a hug. “I’m so proud of you. You did a wonderful job out there.”

Charlie flashed you that smile. The one that reminded you of her father and your heart squeezed in your chest.

“Did you give everyone the invitations?” you asked her, wanting to make sure before you left.

You could just tell by the look on her face she hadn’t.

“What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t give one to April,” she explained quietly. “I don’t think she likes me.”

“Which one is April?” you asked as the asshat and his group of friends wandered onto the field in your peripheral vision.

Charlie pointed at the asshat’s niece and you took her hand down. “Don’t point.”

“Can we just go?” Charlie begged.

“Why don’t you take her an invitation? _Then_ we’ll go,” you told your kid.

“She doesn’t like me,” Charlie argued, chewing her lip now.

You gave Charlie _the look_.

“She might if you give her an invitation to your birthday party,” you told her. “She finds out she’s the only one who didn’t get one and she _really_ won’t like you.”

Oh, that made a difference. As you watched, your daughter reached into her backpack and pulled out one of the small pink invites. And yeah it looked painful, but you watched her slowly walk over to the blonde girl who stood there with her mom, the asshat, and his friends in tow.

The blonde girl, April, looked delighted to get the invitation. _You see?_

Then they were running back in the direction of the bleachers together while you watched. April’s mom smiled at you and followed after them.

The asshat stood with his hands shoved in his pockets, grinning at you awkwardly now. Okay, he was kind of cute. What changed _his_ fucking tune?

“Good game,” he said finally, grinning and nodding at you like he was Joey Tribianni. If the next words out his mouth were “ _how you doing?_ ” you _were_ going to deck him.

“It would have been if you hadn’t been an obnoxious asshole the entire time,” you told him honestly since the girls were out of earshot.

He looked about to say something when a nice-looking guy with a weathered outback hand and dark eyes clamped a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

“It’s true,” he muttered. The asshat, he really was cute, looked even more chagrined.

“If you’re not here to enjoy the game, _why_ be here?” he finally shot back at you with a goofy grin, his gaze split between your face and your chest.

_Nice._

You shook your head. “It’s a shame.”

“What?” he asked, that bit of bravado he mustered fading.

“That you’re such a dork,” you told him.

A really handsome older man with silver threaded through his dark hair laughed, the beautiful woman at his side at least turning so it wasn’t so obvious. The man in the hat died laughing.

“Jensen _is_ such a dork,” the older man said.

Charlie, April, and April’s mom were headed back in your direction. You had to make your last shot quick.

“Why is being a dork… bad?” Jensen had to ask.

You looked him up and down, giving him the same treatment he gave you. _How do you like it?_

“It’s a shame because most dorks aren’t built like a brick-shithouses,” you informed him before motioning for Charlie and leading her out to your car.

You could hear the group of them snickering behind you.

***

Jake Jensen was mortified as he watched the new girl’s mom – oh, and she was a _MILF_ – lead the girl away. He hadn’t even _tried_ to apply his trademark charm and she’d called him on his bullshit. _Damn._ It was too bad because that was one gorgeous lady.

Blowing out an exhale, he watched dejectedly while his sister finished packing up April’s gear.

“What’s wrong, pal?” Clay asked him with a smirk.

“Jensen strikes out again,” he said, trying to play it off. “Bummer.”

“You didn’t strike out completely,” Clay told him, “with the hot girl… mom.”

That got Jensen’s attention. “How do you figure?”

“Yeah, you’re a dork,” Clay explained. “But that brick-shithouse remark?”

Jensen shrugged.

Aisha’s grin was huge. “That means she liked what she saw. You can work with that.”

_Really?_

“Oh, yeah?” he asked her.

The newest member of their team shook her head. “You really can’t read women at all, can you?”

“No,” Cougar answered before he could.

“What’s this?” his sister looked at the pink envelope April handed to her.

“Charlie gave it to me,” April told her. “She’s having a birthday party Saturday… I want to go.”

“Oh, honey,” his sister told her. “I can’t. I have to go to the cookout for work, remember? Uncle Jensen’s coming to stay with you.”

That gave him a great idea.

“Uncle Jensen could take you to the birthday party,” he offered, watching his niece’s grimy little face light up in excitement.

“Really?”

His sister looked at him skeptically. “You will, huh?”

Jensen nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll even take her shopping for a present before.”

“Can I, Mom? Please,” April begged.

His sister looked at him meaningfully. “They are new and I’m sure they are nice, but until I know them better, April doesn’t leave your sight. Understand?”

Jensen did “cross my heart” with his finger over this heart, noticing the rest of the unit had wandered towards the car.

Now he was looking forward to Saturday. They’d get there early. April could visit with Charlie and he could see what else her hot, _hot_ mom might like.

***

You’d just gotten the cake pans in the oven when someone knocked at your door. _Who in the world is that?_

“Mom!” Charlie bellowed. “Someone’s here!”

“I’m coming.” You wiped your hands on a towel and made your way to the front door. It was just after noon and the party didn’t start until five, so you had no clue who that could be.

When you answered the door, there stood April with a present in hand, wrapped in a big pink bow. With her was her asshat uncle, Jensen, grinning at you in a way that you shouldn’t be reacting to at all.

_But look at him._

You couldn’t take him to task for being so early without upsetting the girl and the bastard knew it.

Did you really have to put up with his ass for almost five hours?

“April!” Charlie squealed, running up to hug her new friend.

“Come in.” You didn’t really have a choice.

“Is that for me?” Charlie asked excitedly. At April’s nod, Charlie looked to you. “Can I open it?”

“Shouldn’t you wait for the party?”

“It’s something that will keep them busy until the party,” Jensen interjected.

“Is that so?” you asked. _What is he up to?_

Jensen followed you into the living room. No cap today so you got a look at his blond, cropped hair. It didn’t occur to you until he walked into your smallish house just how big a guy he was. It was warm so he wasn’t wearing a jacket today. Just a t-shirt that was two sizes too small with his jeans and…

_Stop staring at the man._

Oh, but he caught you, winking as he turned his attention to your daughter delightedly ripping the wrapping paper off her gift. And what did she have in her little hands? Of course. A video game.

“Mom! Look!”

_Oh, you saw._ Your desktop was on the fritz because you hadn’t had a chance to find someone to look at it yet. That left your laptop which you’d rather not have her monopolize with a video game. It probably didn’t have the video card or memory she’d need to play it anyway.

You smiled brightly. Charlie had wanted that game for a while.

_Damn him._

“Mom, can we play it on your computer?” Charlie asked while two eager faces looked to you.

“Honey, my desktop isn’t in good shape right now,” you explained. “You’ll have to go get my laptop.”

And with that, they flew out of the room, running upstairs for your bedroom and your laptop.

_Well, fuck._

“What’s going on with your desktop?” Jensen asked, moving closer where you stood behind the couch.

You shrugged. “I ran an update right before we moved, and something went wrong. I haven’t had a chance to have someone look at it.”

“I’d be glad to fix it for you,” he said grinning.

Not look at it. _Fix it._ Someone was confident.

“And are you qualified to look at my computer?” You wanted to know.

“I am,” he told you. “I’ve been part of an elite military team for several years. I handle tech for the unit.”

You snorted.

“Twenty bucks says you work for the Geek Squad at Best Buy,” you told him. “But okay. Since you’re here several hours early, that would be nice. I have a cake to make.”

Now he was grinning from ear to ear. “Take me to your desktop.”

The bedroom downstairs was smaller, and you’d made it into an office of sorts instead. There was a desk you’d found at the thrift shop and your desktop was set up there. Jensen plopped down in the chair and booted the system.

“You didn’t tell me your name,” he said idly as he started hitting keys, going into what you thought was DOS mode. No _way_ you were touching that.

You told him your name. “You’re Jensen.”

“Or Jake,” he offered, still focused on the screen in front of him. “Oh, yeah. This is an easy fix. Plus, I can put in some upgrades here. You don’t have enough RAM, you don’t have enough memory, and I’m pretty sure your video card is from the 90s.”

“If you could just make it so that I can open Windows,” you told him. “That would be enough. I don’t want you to go to a lot of trouble and I’m going to have to save up for the rest of it.”

Jensen shook his head, grinning at you eagerly. “I’ve got everything in the car. I’d be glad to fix you up.”

“No strings attached, huh?” you teased him.

His face flushed crimson and you couldn’t help but smile.

When you’d called him a dork, you hadn’t realized how right you were. The man was adorable. His face was all red. He had _no_ idea what to do with the innuendo.

And he had a body like _that_ …

You decided to take pity on him. “Okay, show me what you’ve got Mr. Elite Military.”

That brought him back around, hooking a thumb in the direction of the street. “I’m going to run out to my car and get a few things.”

He just kept things like that in his car?

“I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me,” you told him. You needed to check on your cake.

You checked on the girls, all stretched out on your bed upstairs playing on your laptop. They didn’t need help getting the game going. You went back down to the kitchen, getting food ready for the party. You heard him come back in from his car early on but nothing else. Two hours had passed before you realized it. It was almost two-thirty.

You went to check on him, not sure of what you’d find honestly. Could he do all the stuff he said he could?

You didn’t expect him to be tooling around on your computer, the screen changing quick as lightning in a way it had never done for you. You came up quietly, you didn’t think he knew you were there.

He was looking at pictures from your beach trip last summer with your mom and stepfather. Specifically, pictures of you in your bikini.

“What are you doing?”

You giggled at how he jumped in the chair. You couldn’t help it.

“I was just… “ Jensen was struggling for something to say. “I was just making sure… Ah… I didn’t see anything…”

At least the picture of you in that small red bikini was a good one. “That’s probably the sauciest thing you’ll find on that computer,” you told him. “Otherwise it’s pictures of Charlie and documents for work.”

Jensen looked chagrined but grateful you weren’t taking his head off.

“It’s okay,” you told him. “I can’t ever remember that system moving like _that._ ”

“Well,” he began and then proceeded to explain how he fixed it, the modifications he made. It was all over your head. You were just grateful he’d fixed it. Not to mention, he was pretty proud of himself.

“Can I give you something for fixing that?” you asked him. 

You meant money but apparently his mind went somewhere else. His face went up in flames as he struggled to meet your gaze. How adorable could this guy be?

After a moment, he took a deep breath, dragging his gaze up to meet yours. “A date?”

Okay, that had your heart melting. You hadn’t known what to expect but the innocent way he said that…

“It doesn’t bother you I’m a mom?” you had to ask. Charlie was the most important thing in your life, so it was better to just get that out in the open.

Jensen shook his head. “Will I meet her father?”

You shook your head. “He was army. Killed in action in Afghanistan.”

Something in his expression…

“I’m really sorry,” he told you. You could tell he meant it.

“Anyway,” you approached the chair, liking that he had to look up to you like this. He was over a head taller than you when he was standing. “Thank you.”

Taking his face in your hands, you gently kissed his mouth. You started slowly, carefully. He seemed content to let you lead. His big hands landed lightly on your waist as he held still for you, moving his lips with yours in a careful dance. It was almost innocent in a way.

After a long moment, you pulled back, smiling at him. What was it about this guy? Bashful and flushed.

“Are you done here?” you asked.

“With the computer? Yeah,” Jensen replied.

“Well, don’t just sit there,” you told him. “We’ve got a party to set up. I could use a hand.”

So cute when he grinned like that.

“Yes, Ma’am.”


	2. Chapter 2

You and Charlie barely made it on time for the soccer game. And you weren’t proud of it, but your heart skipped a beat when you pulled up to see April standing next to a vehicle you hadn’t seen before, a yellow Hummer of all things.

Jensen was back in town.

And he appeared to be scrambling around in there, frantically looking for something. Charlie made a beeline for April and the two girls hugged a beat before he popped out of the hummer and got on eye level with his niece looking panicked.

“ **Don’t freak out** ,” he tried to sound calm but missed it by a mile. “We forgot your cleats.”

The little blonde’s eyes rounded in fear. “We have to go home and get them,” she told him in no uncertain terms.

“We don’t have time,” he said gently. “I’m so sorry. Do they have extra pairs or…”

“We do,” you offered. And fortunately, April and Charlie were very close in size. “Charlie stay here.”

You ran back to your car, unaware Jensen was totally watching your ass as you ran. Charlie’s backup cleats were in the trunk and you were back and presenting them to April in no time.

“These are yours?” she asked Charlie who nodded. That made all the difference and thankfully they fit.

When the coach waved them over, they sprinted to her to get started. It was really close to game time.

That left you standing with Jensen.

“You just saved my ass,” he told you humbly. “Thank you.”

There it was. Why was this dork so damned adorable?

“Want to watch the game?” he motioned awkwardly to the stands. “With me?”

You crossed your arms over your chest. “You going to behave this time, Best Buy?”

That earned you his goofy grin. “Can’t promise.”

You shook your head and started walking. He followed right behind you.

“So, given any thought where you want to go on that date?” he reminded you as you climbed up the bleachers.

You cut him a smile as you reached your preferred row and took a seat, he joined you. He was alone today.

“Dinner would be a good place to start,” you offered. You realized that you really _did_ want to go out with him. “Maybe a movie? And I have to make arrangements for Charlie.”

“Like a sleepover with April at my sister’s place?” His grin was hopeful.

Someone had thought ahead. “I’d consider it.”

The whistle blew and the game began, and he was all about the Petunias. Now that you knew him a little better, he wasn’t _as_ bad as you thought he was that first game. You still politely encouraged him a couple of times to be a little less enthusiastic. You spent half the game laughing at his antics.

The Petunias won and he was a big kid, running out on the field to snatch up his niece and swing her around in celebration. Jensen surprised you when he did the same thing with Charlie. And she _let_ him. Your heart melted as you caught up with them, Charlie running up to you with a huge grin on her face.

“Mom, can I sleep over at April’s tonight?”

You shot Jensen a look. He put up his hands defensively. “My sister _knows_. It was actually her idea.”

Nothing like being put on the spot. All three of them were looking at you expectantly. So Jensen wanted to do date night? Okay. But not looking like you did right now.

“Okay,” you told Charlie. “But we need to go home first and pack a bag for you.”

_And I’m going to shave my legs and wear something besides an old Clash t-shirt._

“Aw, Mom, why?” Charlie whined, ready to go.

“You need pajamas and stuff,” you told her. Looking at Jensen, you smiled. “What’s the address?”

Jensen wore a shit-eating grin. “Already sent it to your phone.”

_Huh?_

“And how did you do that?” you wanted to know. “I didn’t give you my number.”

Jensen shrugged. “Best Buy?”

_Asshole._

As far as runs back home, you operated with the efficiency of a SWAT team. You put Charlie in charge of packing her bag. You showered, shaved, put on a flirty dress. You did your hair, your makeup. It was forty-five minutes, but it was a record for you damn it and you looked pretty good.

Charlie got distracted as she often did. You checked her bag, got everything she needed together, and loaded her in the car. Her big eyes were on you in her booster seat in the back.

“You look pretty, Mom,” she said finally.

Those eyes. Her father’s eyes. For just a moment, you felt guilty. Here you were planning on going out on a date. And _his_ face flashed in your mind. You’d dated in the three years since you lost your husband but sometimes that loss still came back to haunt you…

“Thank you,” you told her, backing out of your driveway.

“Do you like Mr. Jensen?”

You almost choked. “Yeah, he’s a nice guy,” you told her. “I like April’s mother too.”

Oh, the look _that_ earned you. Your Charlie was a sharp girl.

_Not taking that on right now._

Sure enough, you had a text from an unknown number on your phone. The address. You arrived and April’s mother, Jensen’s sister Michelle, invited you in for a moment. You talked, the girls took off to April’s room.

Winking at her brother, Michelle sent the two of you off on your date. You had to laugh when you realized Jensen intended to take you out in the hummer. He almost had to help you climb up in the damn thing.

Once you’d buckled in, he started up the great yellow beast of a vehicle and turned to you with a grin.

You nodded, curious to see where he’d take you for dinner.

You didn’t expect him to come across the seat, take your face in his hands, and kiss you with a finesse you would never have expected from him. His touch was careful, his lips a soft question as they feathered against yours. Asking permission.

Wrapping your arms around his neck, you pulled him closer, inviting him to deepen the kiss and he did. His tongue lightly slid against yours, still careful. It was a kiss that had your heart thundering in your chest, had you plucking those round glasses from his face. For long moments, you just held each other, the kiss comfortable and enticing while the powerful engine of the hummer growled in the background.

When he finally pulled back, you got a good look at him. His blond hair, his blue eyes. He really was handsome.

“Ready for that date?” Jensen asked shyly.

You nodded, grinning at him. You were indeed.


	3. Chapter 3

The university had sent you out to Atlanta for training on the new software system that would be implemented on campus. They gave you about 36 hours heads up which panicked you because of Charlie. If not for Michelle, Jensen’s sister, you’d have been sunk. You’d made arrangements at the school in person to have Charlie go home with April Thursday, back to school with her Friday morning, and back home with April Friday evening.

You were playing it safe. You were supposed to be home by the time school was out on Friday. But that didn’t happen. _Oh no._ Your flight was delayed the first time until 3 PM. There you sat in the airport, certain that Charlie was well looked after but missing her. Missing home.

Okay, you knew Jensen was in town. Just maybe you were missing him too.

The texts came in from a number you didn’t recognize. It was always Jensen, but he didn’t use the same number more than once. It was strange.

The first set of pictures was of Charlie and April practicing soccer out in the yard. Then there was a video. You texted back.

_Thank you_ 😊

_Unknown: Are you at the airport?_

_No, my flight was delayed. I’m sorry._

_Unknown: For what? The girls are having a good time. Just let me know when you get to the airport. I’ll come get you._

_In the hummer?_

_Unknown: You know you love the hummer._

The next picture was a selfie of him with the girls, one on each side with their little arms around his neck. Your heart melted at the three of them.

You’d been out with Jensen a handful of times now and what wasn’t to like? You always had a good time. Yeah, he had crazy energy but you kind of liked his spontaneity. Hell, the last time you’d planned to go out, Michelle had needed _you_ and your date had been an outing with you, Jensen, Charlie, and April. You’d ended up playing putt-putt golf and you couldn’t remember the last time you’d laughed so much between the three of them.

Jensen disappeared for his job a week or two at a time which was weird. You meant to ask him what he _really_ did for a living. But that was the only drawback really because he was amazing with Charlie. You enjoyed spending time with him.

Well, there was _one_ other thing…

But you were _not_ going to think about climbing Jensen like a tree. Not in this airport.

When your flight got pushed back to 5 PM, you were losing your patience. It was nearly a five-hour flight. At this rate, you wouldn’t get into the airport until 9:30 and it was an hour away from your house. How was this going to work?

_My flight Is now 5 PM._

_Unknown: Not a problem. Both girls are hoping you’ll get in late so Charlie can stay here tonight._

You just bet they were.

_Michelle is okay with that?_

_Unknown: Of course._

_Hey, since I don’t know when I’ll get in with my luck today, I’ll call an Uber to get me home. I’ll pick up Charlie tomorrow then._

There was a pause.

_Unknown: My girlfriend is not calling an Uber. Just plan on Charlie staying here tonight. I’ll pick you up and take you home._

Girlfriend, huh?

And just like that, your mind went into the gutter. _What an opportunity._ Charlie would stay at Michelle’s. Jensen was picking you up and taking you home to your empty house. Was there a downside to this?

Oh, you didn’t think _Jensen_ had intentions. No, for how cool he tried to play it, he’d been a complete gentleman with you. The problem was you didn’t want him to be.

But this plan worked for you. You were dressed up from the con. You freshened up a little before you got on the flight that wasn’t – thank God – delayed again.

It was almost 10 when you landed and there he was, waiting for you around the baggage claim in his shorts and bright red t-shirt. You watched him pluck your suitcase from the belt and easily swing it down to the floor. By then you reached him, and his gaze started at the sleek black heels you wore, up over the black stockings and slim skirt to the elegant filmy blouse you wore.

“I’m up here,” you teased him, drawing his attention to your face.

“Yes, you are,” he said absently. Then he seemed to mentally shake himself. “You look… great.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” you told him. “Thank you for picking me up so late, Jensen.”

In the heels, it wasn’t too much of a stretch to press a kiss to his cheek, to smooth a hand up that impressive wall of chest as you did.

“Jake,” he reminded you, adorably flustered. “Let’s get you home.”

You went through a drive-thru for takeout as soon as you hit town because you hadn’t had dinner. When you reached your house, Jensen turned off the beast that was the Hummer and walked you to the door like he always did.

You simply unlocked the door and left it open for him, heading straight for the kitchen with the takeout. “Want a beer?”

There was a delay, but you heard the door shut, the deadbolt thrown on. You grinned when Jake muttered “yeah” as he made his way to the kitchen. He caught you up on Charlie the last couple of days during dinner until you cleaned up. You wandered into the living room and dropped onto the couch, kicking off the heels and wincing.

“Sorry,” you told him, leaning forward to give him a view of your cleavage while you rubbed at your feet. “Oh, my feet are killing me.”

Those blue, blue eyes were glued to the part in your blouse now. _Perfect._

After a couple of moments, he caught himself.

“Want a foot massage?” Jensen offered

You grinned at him. “Is this a serious offer?”

Patting those impressive thighs, he nodded. Your libido was instantly in overdrive. Thing was, you had to find a way to swing your feet into his lap in the slim skirt and look good doing it. _Think._

Carefully, you eased back to the arm of the couch, reclining there and stretching out, placing your feet on his lap that way. You were feeling pretty proud of yourself. It was a slick move.

Until he got his hands on you.

Those big hands started to work over your feet with care, rough from whatever it was he did for a living. Oh, he _knew_ what he was doing. Carefully he massaged the balls of your feet, the insteps. He took care not to tickle you, not to snag your stockings. It was impressive really.

The man was acting like it was a privilege to touch your feet.

And you let yourself enjoy it. You hadn’t had sex with anyone since your husband passed. Three years was a long time. You’d been interested in one or two you’d dated since then. Not _enough_. And you wouldn’t just let anyone into Charlie’s life.

Jake Jensen? Okay, yes, he was gorgeous. There was no denying that. But there was so much more to him than that. How he was Charlie and April. How he treated _you_. Jensen was a good man who could make you laugh and there wasn’t an abundance of those around.

A good, _extremely hot_ , man.

“This good?” he asked after a few minutes, sounding unsure. But he didn’t slow up or even pause.

“Mmm,” you hummed, your eyes closed. “That feels _amazing_ … Do you just do feet?”

Then he paused. Just for a second.

“Ah… I’ll do whatever you want,” he said after a moment.

Now, _that’s_ what a girl wanted to hear.

When you opened your eyes, you found his gaze roaming anywhere but your feet, and you grinned. “Is _that_ a serious offer?”

His color was high, his eyes darkened. He nodded, meeting your gaze. “Anything you want.”

You got your fingers around the bicep you could reach, pulling him to you and he let you. Taking the hint, he leaned over you, letting you get your hands around his neck and pull him down for a kiss. It was heated and dirty. _Urgent._ He moaned into your mouth as you deepened the kiss, running your fingers all through the cropped silk of his hair.

“Stay with me tonight,” you whispered against his lips. “I’ve been so lonely.”

You were elated when the hand he wasn’t supporting himself on roamed down your arm, down to your ass. Pulling your hips up, he squeezed. You rotated your hips into him, his heated length pressed into your belly. He felt _nice_ , stoking the fire that was burning you up from the inside.

“Yeah?” His lips scorched a path across your jaw to your neck, the softness of his lips combined with the rough of his beard to tease the sensitive flesh just below your ear.

“Yeah,” you whispered, delighted as his touch became more certain, more possessive. And you didn’t miss the chance to run your hands all over the muscled wall of his chest, those wide shoulders, and those arms…

Chuckling, Jake pulled back to grin down at you. “If I’m staying the night, want to jump in your bed? I feel like I’m playing Twister here with you on this couch… Not a lot of room.”

For him, there really _wasn’t_ a lot of room.

Grinning at him, you nodded.

Jake was up and you yelped when he scooped you off the couch, carrying you like you weighed nothing. You held onto him tightly as he raced up the stairs with you, guessing correctly which of the two rooms up there was your bedroom. Carefully placing you on the bed, he turned on the lamp on your bedside table.

Before he could do anything, you pulled the zipper at the side of your skirt down and whisked it off so you’d have a full range of movement. Jensen’s gaze was riveted to the lace tops of your stockings. You caught him distracted. It was just too easy to grab the front of his shirt and pull him onto the bed with you. You pressed him onto his back, throwing a thigh across to straddle him while he stared up at you with wide eyes and his mouth agape.

“Are we really doing this?” he asked, fighting off a grin.

You let him take you in, take a good long look. He must have liked the view because after a moment he smiled, those big hands smoothing up your thighs until his fingertips slid up to the border where lace met the tender flesh of your thighs.

“Don’t you want to?” you asked.

When you ground down gently on him, he rotated his hips and pushed up into your core. And _that_ felt as big and impressive as the rest of him at that angle. _Hot damn._

“It feels like you _do_ ,” you pointed out.

“More than anything,” he said with feeling. “ _Yes_.”

Okay, you needed to see him. Grabbing the hem of his shirt, you pushed it up, wanting to see more of him. He’d just managed to pull his glasses off and put them aside when you got that red t-shirt shoved up his chest. Reaching behind him, he grabbed the collar and pulled it off for you.

_Damn._

Jake’s upper body was all sculpted muscle, smooth and hard. A work of art really. The dusting of hair across his chest was a shade darker than the hair on his head. He had tattoos on each bicep, one on his chest. You smoothed your hands over that magnificent chest, about to lean forward to kiss him when you noticed the first scar.

A bullet wound?

You traced the scar with a finger, looking to him in question.

His fingers scrambled up your torso, reaching for the buttons of your blouse but you broke the kiss, brushed his hands away, and moved down his body. Your fingers worked the front of his shorts and he was toeing off his shoes as you did.

Jake wasn’t in the mood for conversation now. He got his hands in your hair and pulled you down for a kiss, tasting your lips in a restless, greedy way that only made you want him more. It didn’t help that he was grinding up into you, keeping his movements easy enough to push up your desire but not enough to give you any satisfaction.

You stripped him bare and he let you, watching as you moved back up his body, smoothing your hands up over his thighs as you moved. His cock was swollen and red, lying on his abdomen and ready. You pressed a soft kiss to the shaft just above his balls and he hissed lightly, his fingers clutching at your comforter as he fought to hold still for you.

Your Jake had some truly beautiful junk and big. All shaved so neatly. Oh, you were all about _this_.

You got your hands on him, then your mouth on him. One hand started with gentle strokes up and down his shaft, while the other caressed his balls. You rolled them lightly, trying to learn what he liked. Your lips spread over the head of him and your tongue was a wicked tease on that smooth, sensitive flesh. You tasted the light salt of his precum, teasing him with careful lips and tongue as he started writhing from your attention.

“Oh, God,” his voice was breathy, his gaze never leaving you. “Oh, God, that’s so good… So good.”

Pulling the head of him into your mouth, you moaned deep in your throat, working him with your tongue within that hot cavern. When you tightened one hand around the shaft of him, he uttered a sexy sound somewhere between a grunt and a sob. When you tugged on his sac with gentle pressure, he sucked in a breath.

“That,” he panted. “ _That_ … that was good.”

“Yeah?” you asked him, tucking your hair behind your ear to try and keep it out of your way. “You like how I touched these?”

You repeated the movement, watching in delight as his eyes rolled back. His breath came fast.

_Oh, you can do better than that._

“Oh, God,” he muttered, his knuckles white from their grip on your comforter.

Chaining kisses and licks down his shaft, you made yourself smaller between those powerful thighs. You got your mouth on his balls, working him with gentle licks and nips. His thighs tightened around you, his hips carefully moving with you. You sucked one ball carefully between your lips, teasing it with your tongue.

By the time you moved back up, pulling him into your mouth to meet the back of your throat, he was making a sexy chorus of sounds, one hand carefully sinking into your hair. Faster and faster you worked, hollowing out your cheeks, and keeping your tongue busy around him the entire time.

When you moaned around him, working him into your throat, his other hand landed on your head. You let him guide your motions, letting him move you faster, deeper. Jake was fucking your face, but he fought so hard to be careful even as you watched pleasure swamp him.

“Oh, Sugar, I’m… gonna…” His breathing was harsh, his hips barely controlled. “I’m…”

Teasing his sac with your hand, you brought him off. Jake cried out, sobbing above you as his release tore through him. It was a beautiful sight, all those muscles flexing in a dazzling display as the orgasm shook him. Working him through it, you swallowed him down, easing him down with gentle touches, kisses.

Yeah, you might have just shot yourself in the foot for the night. But taking him apart like that? So worth it.

Moving carefully to the side, you smiled to see him lying there, eyes closed and trying to regain his breath. All those long limbs, those gorgeous muscles on display as you slowly unbuttoned your blouse.

One blue eye slit open to see what you were doing, then both were on you in interest, even as he was trying to recover. You took your time. Once the last button was undone, you slid your blouse off carefully, revealing the lacy white bra beneath.

“Wow,” he mouthed, just watching.

“Ready to go to sleep?” you asked with deceptive calm.

“Oh, fuck no,” Jake huffed, pulling in air as his heated gaze moved over you. “Just… need a couple of… minutes…”

You quirked a brow at him in question and he grinned.

“Oh, come on,” Jake’s hand slid to your knee, his fingers skimming over your thigh. “Please? Just… give me a couple of minutes…”

You smiled, moving closer to smooth your hands over all those muscles. “Or we could do morning sex,” you offered, only half teasing him. It had been a long day.

Rolling toward you on his side, he propped his head up on one hand while you got an eyeful of those arms, that chest. Lightly cupping your face, he carefully pulled you down for a kiss.

The kiss was slow and deep. You knew he could taste himself on you. You shivered as that hand slid over your shoulder, reaching behind you for the back of your bra. Letting him pull it off, you enjoyed the way those eyes roamed over your breasts. His fingers were light as they brushed over one tight nipple. Leaning up, he wrapped his lips around it, teasing it lightly with lips and tongue as his hand slid down your body.

“Jake,” you whispered as self-consciousness bled on your pleasure.

Charlie had been a c-section baby and the scar left from her birth… Her father hadn’t minded it. One of your hands fluttered to your tummy, while the other slid around his neck.

Jake must have sensed your unease. Easing back from your breast, that heated gaze met yours as his hand slid down over your hip, a thumb hooking in the side of your panties and tugging in question.

You were a little nervous. Maybe if you could get the lights out or get under the covers…

When he leaned in, he pulled the band of your panties down just enough. He pressed a kiss against that dip in your belly, it almost made you cry. The small gesture of acceptance was everything to you.

Grinning up at you, he kept on pulling at your panties. “You trust me?”

Oh, that glint in his eye was wicked. _Okay, let’s see what you can do._

“Take these off,” he whispered hotly.

While you tried to pull those off gracefully, and you did a damn good job, he caught you off-guard. Grabbing you by your hips, he easily pulled you up as he rolled onto his back. Jake had you situated over his face and for a split second, you were mortified. You’d never done _that_ before. The positioning made you a little more self-conscious, wearing only your stockings.

_Oh, but not for long._

You found out just how strong he was as he wrapped those powerful arms around you and held you in place to ride his face. Where did he learn to do _that_? At first, he worked you in crazy patterns with his tongue, leaving you gasping above him. It didn’t take long for him to figure out what would take you apart. In no time at all he had you hanging onto your headboard with one hand, pawing at his head with the other.

“Jake,” you whispered, feeling your body go up in flames. He had you dancing on his tongue, teasing your clit and your opening at turns until you thought you’d lose your mind. There was no give to his hold and when you ground down even a little when he did something you liked? Jake doubled his efforts, while you struggled to breathe against the waves of pleasure rising within you.

“Jake,” it came out as a low sob.

“Come, sugar,” he muttered against your slick aching flesh.

And you did. Your cries filled the room, your heart thundering in your chest. He kept eating you out, kept at you until the room was spinning around you.

You were aware that you collapsed and that he rolled you beneath him. With a firm grip on your thighs, he pulled you down the bed until he loomed over you large. You smelled your own excitement on him as his mouth painted your torso with sloppy wet kisses. Traces of you still stained his lips when his mouth claimed yours in a heated, possessive kiss.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered against your lips.

Those powerful thighs pushed yours wide and he was pressing at your entrance before you’d completely come around.

Jake whispered your name. More kisses, soft enticing. When he pulled back to gaze into your eyes, the sincerity in his own took your breath away.

“Can I have you?” he asked gently.

How could you refuse? All you could do was nod, pull him to you for a kiss.

It was sweet at first, full of emotion. Jake began to sink into you, stretching you open in a way you’d never experienced before. You didn’t have to tell him to go slow, be careful. Even while his kiss became dirty and heated, Jake took his time in filling you and you wrapped yourself around him, all that hard muscle. It seemed like it took forever until he finally hit home inside you, gently grinding into you when he did.

Jake had it in mind to let you get used to him. You were ready to go, rolling your hips up into him.

“You like this?” he whispered, nipping at your ear. “Or you do you want to be on top?”

Rolling your hips into him again, you chained kisses over his jaw, down his neck. “Like this.”

When he began to move in you, all you could do was hang on. Everything about making love with him made your toes curl, had pure pleasure coursing through your veins like a river in flood. Jake gave you enough of his weight to make you feel it, to hold you in place as his hips powered into you. Your legs wrapped around his powerful thighs, your hands sliding over his slick, flexing back.

Jake caged you in on top of your bed, filling you and hitting spaces inside you’d never known about. The entire time he stole fevered kisses from your lips, dropped kisses over your hair and face. The harsh rasping of your breath and his was a chorus that blended with the cries and moans he drew from you with little effort.

One huge hand slid between you and carefully teased your clit in a way that had you gasping and tightening around him like a vice.

“Oh, God, sugar,” he whispered hotly in your ear. “Give it to me… Want you to come on my cock…”

You didn’t really have a choice, writhing wildly beneath him as his thrusts gained in speed and strength as his hold on you tightened. Release damn near blew you apart when it hit, sending wave after wave of heat and rapture radiating from your lower body and shooting through every fiber of your being.

You clamped around him so tightly and he shouted as he managed to pull free of you, shooting thick white ropes over your tummy. You twisted beneath him, loving the view of him working himself over you, the sound of his pleasured sobs.

Dropping his head as he fought to breathe for a beat, his hands sliding over your thighs reverently. When he looked back up at you, he was grinning.

“That was close,” he told you. “Sorry, I’ll be better prepared next time.”

You had to smile back at him. Jake was too damned adorable. “It’s okay,” you told him. “I’ve got us covered.”

Some emotion crossed his face before he looked around for his shirt, using it to clean you up. Playfully, he hooked a finger in the top of one of your stockings and let it snap back against your thigh.

“You like those?”

“So much,” he admitted.

But something was on his mind as he collapsed onto the bed next to you, lying on his side facing you. One rough hand skimmed over your body.

“What are you thinking?” you had to ask.

He cocked an eyebrow at you before his gaze followed the slow, careful movements of his hand all over you.

“Something I should probably keep to myself for a while.” Jake pressed a kiss to your breast. “I loved that.”

“Me too,” you whispered. But you weren’t about to let him off the hook that easily. “What’s on your mind?”

Jake’s expression was pained. “I don’t want to screw this up.”

You grinned. “Oh, this is going to be good.”

Jake shook his head, trailing his fingers along your tummy.

“What is it?” you asked slowly.

A deep sigh.

“When you said you had us covered…” Then he didn’t seem to know what to say, faltered.

“Yeah,” you replied. “I’m on the pill. We can just use that unless there’s some reason we need to use something else.”

His throat worked as he swallowed. No, that wasn’t it.

“That’s cool,” he muttered after a moment. “So if you’re on the pill, you can still…”

Was he asking what you _thought_ he was asking?

“Can I have more kids?” you tossed out there, watching interest light up his expression. “Yeah. We’d planned to have at least one more, a brother or sister for Charlie.”

Those blue eyes were filled with a myriad of emotions as his gaze searched yours. “Would you still want to? One day, I mean?”

You couldn’t keep the smile off your face at that.

Shaking his head, he rolled onto his back, throwing a heavy arm across his eyes and you laughed. You could see his face darken.

“See? I told you,” Jake muttered. “Too early.”

Pulling yourself up to lean above him, you pried his arm away from his face.

“To answer your question, yes,” you explained. “I would still like to give her a sibling or two. With the right person.”

His gaze was entirely too serious when he turned it on you. “Do I even have a shot at that?”

Pressing a kiss to his lips, you grinned. “You’re the only one I’ve… since Daniel…”

Capturing one of your hands, he pressed it over his heart.

“I’m probably always going to be a dork,” he warned you.

“I know,” you told him before kissing him soundly. “And I do want to know what you do for a living.”

Jake shot you _that_ look. Elite military squad. Yeah…

You shook your head before curling around him, making yourself comfortable. “Let’s get some sleep.”

“Then morning sex?” he asked playfully, wrapping his arms around you.

“We’ll see,” you told him, drifting off to sleep in his arms not too long after that.

***

Jensen glared at Clay when he stuck his head inside her bedroom door. He grabbed the covers, pretty much pulling them over her head as she slept.

“What the fuck, man?” Jensen hissed at his superior. “You heard of knocking?”

“We _did_ knock,” Clay kept his voice down. “We’ve got an assignment. Gotta go.”

Raking a hand over his head and reaching for his glasses, Jensen tried to wrap his mind around everything. “What time is it?”

“Three fifteen AM,” Clay told him.

Jensen felt her freeze beneath the covers, knew she was awake now. _Fuck._

“Give me a minute, okay?” he said to Clay.

Clay backed out of the door and a beat later she was sitting up, holding the covers to her chest.

“Jake, was that your friend from the game?” she asked in a smaller tone than he was used to from her. He didn’t like it.

“Yeah,” he told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “We have a job. I’ve got to go.”

“What type of Job?” she asked, sleepy and adorable in the faint light.

“I was telling you the truth.” Jake needed her to understand. “I don’t know what the assignment is. But I won’t be gone long.”

She studied him so hard for a long minute. “You were serious,” she finally said. “The elite military squad thing?”

Jake nodded numbly, hoping this wasn’t the part where she kicked him out of her bed and heart. She’d lost her husband to military service already. Jake was so afraid that loss would cause her to end things with him before they could really begin.

“I promise, I’ll tell you everything when I get back,” Jensen promised. “Just, don’t give up on me. Okay?”

Jensen kissed her breathless, pouring everything he could into it. She’s stolen his heart that first day at the game. She and Charlie were all he could want. Unless she did want to give him a boy or girl of his own one day. 

Jensen was in love with her.

He dressed quickly, kissing her again before hurrying out before Clay came back. Or worse, sent Pooch.

Jensen was climbing into the Hummer when he saw her watching him out of her bedroom window.

_I love you._

Jensen didn’t know what to make of her expression but the little wave? He’d take it.

“Fuck,” Pooch muttered from the other Hummer. “There will be no living with him now,” he told Clay and Aisha. Aisha smacked their friend across the back of his head from the second row of seats.

Laughing at his friends’ antics, Jensen started the Hummer and tried to get his head clear for the mission. Taking one last look at his girl, he headed off into the night.

Jensen couldn’t wait to get back.


	4. Chapter 4

“Did you hear me, Jensen?”

“Yeah?” Jensen replied as he followed Pooch and Cougar into the run-down hotel room they managed to get. They’d been in the back of beyond somewhere in Louisiana for the last seven days. No cell coverage to be found. He wouldn’t have been surprised if people who lived down here still communicated using tin cans and string.

Would there be cell coverage at this hotel?

_Jesus._

“Jensen?”

Finally looking up from his phone - he had two, sometimes three bars – Jensen wondered why Pooch was standing there with his hands on his hips looking pissed off.

“There are only two beds in here,” Pooch pointed out.

Jensen shrugged. “I’ll take the floor,” he said absently, wanting to kill that argument before it got started. And it worked. His friends each grabbed a bed while he dropped his gear on the floor and sat down next to it.

Jensen hadn’t been able to get a text out to his girl since he left her house at three-something in the morning last Friday. He’d feel better if he could hear from her, feel her out. Now that he could get a message out…

What the hell would he write? After going over several options in his head, he decided to start safe.

_I miss you and Charlie._

Blowing out an exhale, he waited. It was 11:47 where he was. That meant it was just about one in the morning at her place. She was probably asleep already even though it was Friday night.

Pooch gave him first shot at the shower since he took the floor, so Jensen went and cleaned up. He got out his sleeping bag and rolled it out, taking a seat there in a clean t-shirt and boxers. When he went to check his phone, she’d answered.

_MyGirl: We miss you, Best Buy. Are you okay?_

Jensen couldn’t keep the smile off his face. He felt terrible that he’d put off talking to her about his job, the squad. He felt even worse about Clay breaking into her house to get him with no warning at three in the morning.

He was just grateful that she was still talking to him honestly. That night at her house had been everything. She’d asked him to stay the night, gave him the mother of all blowjobs, and then making love with her…

“Told you there’s nothing to worry about,” Pooch reminded him as he ducked into the bathroom for his turn in the shower.

Cougar grinned from where he lounged on the bed, flipping through TV channels.

Okay, maybe he’d been a _little_ worried, talked about it some. He’d explained to them that her husband, Charlie’s dad, had died in Afghanistan. What if she didn’t want to give _him_ a chance because of it?

_Better now._

Jensen smiled. Much better now that he’d heard from her.

_We’re heading home tomorrow._

Jensen waited for her answer, occupying his mind with images of her lying in her bed, just as he left her. By the time he got back to New Hampshire, it would probably be late. It would likely be Sunday before he saw her, saw Charlie.

_MyGirl: Just be careful._

The last thing he wanted her to do was worry.

_I will. Promise._

_MyGirl: Maybe you can come over and have dinner with Charlie and me when you get back._

His stomach literally growled at that thought. Meals on assignments were hit or miss if you got them at all.

_I’d love that._

It wasn’t lost on him that she’d invited him over to spend time with Charlie too. Jensen adored her small daughter. She looked a lot like her mother, had a good head on her shoulders. As shy as she’d been with him at first, now when she hugged him, she didn’t usually want to let go of him.

Jensen was just fine with that.

_MyGirl: Great. Charlie’s been bugging me about making cookies. We’ll make some for dessert._

Cookies? Definitely one of his weaknesses.

_I could really go for some milk and cookies right now._

“Jensen?”

Cougar’s voice pulled him out of his pleasant little bubble. The irritated expression on his friend’s face getting his attention.

“What’s up?”

“Can you do something with the TV?” Cougar asked. “It says we have premium movie channels, but I can’t get to them.”

Rolling his eyes, Jensen pulled himself off the floor and grabbed the remote. Turns out they did have movie channels for recently released films and porn channels – _that_ would help him sleep – and with Cougar happy now, Jensen went back to his conversation.

Picking up his phone, he re-read his last message and her answer to it.

_I could really go for some MILF and cookies right now._

_MyGirl: You mean milk?_

“Fuck!” Jensen raked a hand through his hair in frustration. _Fucking autocorrect_. He’d typed _milk_ but the phone had autocorrected to _MILF._ Yeah, okay, they joked on text a lot on missions. The term was used.

“She already dump your ass?” Cougar asked, his gaze still on the TV.

“No,” Jensen shook his head. _Now what do I say?_

“You say something stupid?”

Jensen flipped Cougar off causing the sniper to chuckle.

“What did you say?”

Jensen pulled himself up. “Fucking autocorrect.”

Cougar grinned at him now. “Let’s see it.”

Jensen took his phone over to where Cougar lay, holding it up for him to read.

Now his friend laughed out loud.

Jensen shook his head. He’d just have to own it. Apologize. Would she really be surprised he said something stupid? Even if it was an accident?

Cougar swiped his phone out of his hand, typing before Jensen could get to him.

“What did you do?” Jensen demanded. “She’s important.”

Cougar was still grinning when he handed the phone back. “Did you a favor.”

Jensen’s jaw dropped to see what Cougar sent on his behalf.

_I know what I said._

“What the hell, man?” Jensen shot back.

Cougar’s grin stayed in place. “Trust me.”

Raking a hand through his hair, Jensen sulked back to his sleeping bag and sank down on it.

“Now she’s not answering,” Jensen complained.

“She will.”

But she hadn’t answered when Pooch emerged from the bathroom. He hadn’t heard anything by the time Cougar showered either.

“Well?” Cougar asked as he made his way back to the bed where he’d be sleeping.

Jensen shook his head.

Cougar didn’t even have the grace to look the least bit remorseful.

Jensen was full-on pouting when she finally did answer. It wasn’t a message she sent but an image.

There she was, lying on her side in her bed. He almost didn’t notice the plate of Oreos in front of her. No. He was busy eyeing her luscious form with just a sheet draped artfully over her, hiding the secret parts of her. Barely covering her breasts.

He was hard and aching just looking at her. He could still remember how she tasted, how it felt inside her…

_Fuck._

_MyGirl: There’s a spare key in the garden gnome next to the front porch if you get in late._

Jensen was ready to drive back right now.

_MyGirl: I did promise you morning sex._

Oh, she was trying to kill him. Jensen ached as he typed out a sensual warning.

_Yes, you did. Get a good night’s sleep. You’re going to need it._

_MyGirl: Good night, Best Buy._

_Goodnight, beautiful._

Jensen was up and heading for the shower.

“The hot water’s gone,” Pooched called after him.

“He won’t need it,” Cougar said laughing.

Jensen shook his head as he closed the door behind him. If he was going to get any sleep, he’d need to take care of his little problem one way or another.


	5. Chapter 5

It was a warm spring night, despite the rain that started a mile up the road, and Jensen winced as the Hummer growled to a stop in her driveway. Jake didn’t want to wake his girls up with the beast of a vehicle. But the wind and rain were picking up and thunder rumbled in the distance. A storm was coming in and maybe the chorus of sounds it brought with it would dull the sound of his arrival.

Hauling up his bag, he headed up to the front door grinning at the small stone garden gnome and finding a house key slotted in a plastic sleeve beneath him just like she said. Jake smiled even as the rain pelted him. He took the key and let himself into her house.

A bright flash of lightning lit up her cozy living room enough for him to spot a lamp and turn it on, leaving his bag on the floor. It was a home with soft flowers, dark wood, and hints that a small princess lived there. A flower crown, slightly wilted, rested on the kitchen table as he walked in there. A _Hello Kitty_ backpack sat next to the kitchen door with its bottom dusted in dirt.

And it smelled good in there. Like dinner and cookies which had him grinning to remember that text conversation.

A small framed photograph sat on the counter next to him, a picture of her with a very small Charlie and her late husband. Jake thought she said his name had been Daniel. Jake studied the photo, recognizing the man’s off-center smile in Charlie. The man looked so proud in his Army uniform with his wife and daughter. Daniel had been smaller in stature but his posture and the confidence in his face were unmistakable.

Jake’s heart sank at the thought that she had lost him. That Charlie had lost her father…

Thunder crashed loudly as rain lashed the windows and a brilliant flash of lightning lit up the stairs next to the kitchen. Before he could take the first step, he heard it.

“Charlie?” he called quietly, hearing the thin wail of her crying from close by.

Jake found her in her mother’s office, the video game he’d gotten for her birthday bright on the desktop’s monitor and the headphones discarded on the floor. Charlie was curled up on the office chair with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped tight around them. Her face was tucked into her knees as she cried. Another sharp crack of thunder had her jumping in the chair.

“Charlie?”

In the light of the screen, her head shot up, her eyes big on him. “Jake?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” Jake took a knee to put him on her level like he did with his niece April.

Charlie shot off the chair and threw herself at him, her thin arms wrapped tightly around his neck. She shook like a leaf as he held her there, terrified by the storm. It had his heart clenching in his chest to have the child’s trust.

“What are you doing up this late?” Jake asked quietly. “Mom know you’re up playing video games?”

He knew the answer when he asked the question. She froze, but her hold didn’t ease up.

“I just want to get to the unicorn level,” she whispered, tucking her face into his neck at the next round of thunder and lightning.

Jake smiled. “I like gaming too. But you’ve got to listen to your Mom. When it’s time to go to sleep, you’ve got to do it.”

“I know,” she said after a minute.

“So maybe you should get back to bed before she catches you?” he offered.

That got her attention. Slowly, she nodded.

But the storm wasn’t letting up and he couldn’t put her to bed scared as she was. He wanted to let her mom sleep if he could.

“Did you make cookies?” Jake tried to distract her.

Even with another flash brightening the room, Charlie nodded. “We made them for you,” she said proudly.

“Want to go get one?” he offered. “Maybe by the time you finish that and some milk, the storm will be over.”

Again, she nodded, tucking her face back into his neck.

And it was settled. They turned off the game and put the desk to rights.

Picking her up, he carried her into the kitchen. Charlie was set up at the island stool in her pink pajamas with a cookie and a small glass of milk. The drama of the storm still had her fearfully looking at the windows, but it wasn’t as bad.

Jake enjoyed a couple of cookies with her, asking about school, soccer practice, and April until she’d finished her snack and sat blinking like a sleepy owl on the stool. And it was cool how it worked out. The storm was easing up by then.

“Ready to go to bed?” Jake asked.

It made him ridiculously happy when she held her arms out to him, wanting him to carry her.

Jake was pretty sure she was out by the time he reached the top of the stairs. He doubted she even realized he carefully laid her on her small bed, pulling the covers up as she curled on her side.

Charlie was sound of sleep and he watched for just a moment, his heart squeezing in his chest.

_He could get used to this._

Now if he could just convince her Mom to let him stay…

Jake had just left the room when he spotted her mother standing there in the doorway of her own bedroom, watching him from the shadows and wearing a shiny red slip of lingerie that didn’t cover a lot…

_Okay, down boy._

Jake jerked a thumb in the direction of Charlie’s room. “That was… okay, right?”

“If I didn’t trust you with her, I wouldn’t tell you how to let yourself into my house.” Her expression was soft. “Was she down there playing the video game?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. It wasn’t lost on him that he’d bought the video game. “And then the storm came up.”

She blew out an exhale. “She’s always been scared of thunderstorms… Thank you, Jake.”

When she motioned him into her room, fatigue fell away from him as his greedy gaze took her in. The little red number she wore ended at the tops of her thighs, showed off her gentle curves. The way her cleavage was displayed had him drooling.

Had she dressed up just in case he made it tonight? The thought gave him hope even as it had his libido growing fangs.

***

The storm woke you up. The sound of voices in your kitchen pulled you and your sleep-clouded mind out of your bed in terror. But not for long. Not once you recognized the voice of the person in your kitchen with your child.

Not five minutes went by before you heard him on the stairs. A quick peek showing Jake Jensen carrying your sleeping daughter up the stairs. You’d watched from the doorway as he put her to bed. It melted your heart.

And you were grateful because normally after a good thunderstorm, she ended up sleeping in your bed with you, and then she didn’t always get back to sleep. Jake had pulled off a small miracle really.

It had your heart singing… and sinking.

Losing Daniel had been so hard for you and Charlie. And things with Jake seemed to be going so well…

Could you let another man who put himself in danger for a living into your child’s life only to have him ripped away from her too?

_And you._

His eyes were wide behind those round glasses as he took you in and you crooked your finger at him, motioning him into your bedroom. You didn’t think Charlie would wake up, but you closed and locked the door to play it safe.

It was dark because of the rain, your room swallowed in shadows. Jake stayed just inside your bedroom door and it was going on 2 AM.

Tomorrow. _After_ breakfast, you decided. You’d have that conversation with him about what he did, your possible future together.

But right now?

Carefully, you approached Jake sliding your hands up over his chest when you reached him. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you stretched up to kiss his mouth. You kept the kiss soft, welcoming. Your fingers slid into his hair and you pressed yourself up against him in the shadows.

His moan was a deep rumble as his hands caught your waist, his tongue sliding in to dance with yours as the intensity of the kiss grew. Strong hands clutched at the shimmery negligee you wore. The heated length of him pressed into your belly with urgency.

_Perfect._

You broke the kiss to smile up at him. “I missed you, Best Buy.”

“Not as much as I missed you.” Jake stole another heated kiss from your lips. “That picture fucking killed me.”

You couldn’t help but smile at that. “What are you going to do about it?”

You weren’t sure what you expected. Jake crowded you, navigating you until your back met the wall. When Jake grabbed the backs of your thighs and hauled your legs up around his waist, you just hung on. The scent of your arousal drifted up on the heat of your bodies. Jake held you there, grinding into your heated core.

“Jake,” you whispered.

He cut you off with a kiss, his lips claiming yours with just the right balance of rough and dirty. His hands roamed over your body possessively as his kiss made you forget everything but him. Jake took your breath away, had you soon giving up any fight for dominance.

You did grab his glasses, managing to toss them on the bedside table next to you. When you broke the kiss, his heated mouth blazed a trail across to your throat and one hand grabbed the thin strap of your negligee and hauled it down, revealing that breast to him.

Pushing you a little higher up the wall, Jake got his mouth on that breast. His mouth chaining kisses along the underside before zeroing in on its center. When he trapped your nipple between his lips, you squirmed in his hold. When his tongue started lashing at the tight little peak, your hands clutched in his hair.

Jake was greedy about it, teasing you relentlessly until your thighs tightened around his waist, your melting center craving friction.

“Your tits are magnificent,” he muttered, grabbing at the other strap, and peeling the satin down until you were topless. When he set about teasing that breast just as ruthlessly, you covered your mouth with your hand before you forgot yourself and did something that would wake Charlie up.

The wicked little glint in Jake’s eyes had your pussy clenching.

“Best Buy,” you warned, trying to catch your breath.

Your stomach dropped as you slid down the wall until your feet reached the floor. Just as quickly, Jake took a knee in front of you. Jake’s fingers were careful as they skimmed up under your negligee, finding the tiny red panties that matched and easing them down and off you. You watched him stuff them into his jeans pocket.

“You’re not keeping those,” you whispered. You liked the set you’d worn tonight.

“Shhh.” Jake smirked up at you, pulling one of your thighs over his shoulder.

And he meant business. Jake had you twisting in his grip, your back arching against the wall and hand covering your mouth.

His mouth was hot on you, his tongue wild on your clit, and tracing down to your opening in turns. His hands gripped you hard, holding you in place as he took you apart. By the time his tongue was darting in and out of your aching channel, it was all you could do to muffle the sounds he drew from you.

“You’ve got to be quiet for me, beautiful,” Jake whispered into your heated flesh, moaning at the hand you had clutched in his hair. “Want you to come for me… Come on my tongue.”

The rough finger he slid into you helped that along. With his tongue lashing at your clit and that finger finding your trigger inside and teasing it just right, you were seeing stars, whining behind your hand as you fought to stay upright.

You were still in the throes of it when Jensen stood, hauling you back up against the wall, in his arms. Your thighs were trembling around his waist, your arms weakly wrapped around his neck. Jensen painted your lips with your own excitement, sharing the taste with you as one hand worked between you at his belt, the front of his jeans.

His kisses were soft fire against your lips and neck as the wide head of him pushed up into your center, sliding on the wetness there before pressing up into you.

You sucked in a breath as he allowed gravity to work and let you sink down onto him. His lips were greedy on yours, his hands gripping your ass as he carefully slid into you as far as he could go. He ground his hips into you carefully, his cock iron hard and filling you up.

His lips blazed a path to your ear, his breath hot in your ear as he whispered, “You ready?”

You _hoped_ you were.

You hadn’t even answered when Jake began to move in you, careful strokes at first to allow you to get used to him. Within seconds, with your body weeping on him, he picked up the pace, fucking you into the wall in a way that took your breath. You gasped as you hung on, impressed with how easily he pinned you there, his lower body powering into you. His lips burned trails up and down your neck, the harsh rasp of his breathing blending with yours.

Jake made a sound somewhere between a moan and a sob. “Fuck… You were all I could think about… The entire time I was gone… You feel _so_ good.”

Your fingers clawed at the tight t-shirt he wore. Your thighs were locked around him and the ache he was building inside you had the edges of your sight fraying. Your walls clenched around his cock, a deep craving inside you wanting more, needing _much_ more.

One rough hand slid between your bodies while he fucked you, not missing a beat. A too-tender finger tracing the pearl just above where your bodies joined had you crying out behind your hand. When he angled his thrusts to hit your front wall, you lost it as the orgasm hit you hard.

Jake’s hand moved to clamp over your mouth and you wailed behind his fingers, your own intimate scent on them. He didn’t slow down as your body pulsed around him. No, somehow he hung on, his thrusts hovering around the line between divine and painful as he powered on, fighting for his own release now.

It didn’t take him long. Jake went at you hard. Burying his face in your neck, Jake tightened around you as he came. His moans were muffled in the damp skin beneath your ear, his cock working into you urgently until he was spent.

You were holding each other, still against the wall when you heard her. Your heart was already flying as you listened to the sound of Charlie’s feet hitting the floor.

_Shit._ Had she heard you? At least you’d locked the door.

Your little daughter went to the bathroom, leaving both you and Jake listening. The toilet flushed. The water ran. Her lighter tread finally told you she’d made it back into her bedroom.

Jake grinned at you in the darkness, carefully pulling you away from the wall and carrying you the short distance to your bed. When his cock pulled free of you, it stung just a little.

“Are you okay?” He saw you wince. “Shit, I’m sorry.”

You shook your head. “It’s okay. I’m fine.”

Grabbing the back of his shirt with one hand, he pulled it over his head and off. Even in the dim light of the room, you couldn’t keep your eyes off _that_.

“Just fine?” he teased.

He hadn’t pulled his jeans back up and he didn’t mean to, taking everything off before climbing up to the top of the bed and stretching out, watching as you slowly made your way up to join him.

You eyed him warily. “Are we expecting company tonight?” you whispered.

Jake pulled you down for a kiss, holding onto you until you stretched out next to him, pretty much using him for a body pillow. His heartbeat was steady and strong as you rested your head on his chest.

“No, and I’m sorry about that,” he said quietly. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know about them, the group. Whatever you want to know, okay?”

Your heart squeezed at his tone. Jake really wanted you to understand.

You really _wanted_ to understand.

But right now, you were exhausted.

“Tomorrow,” you whispered. “We’ll talk tomorrow. Okay?”

Jake dropped a kiss into your hair, one hand smoothing over your back in whisper-soft strokes.

“Sounds good,” he muttered, holding you until you fell asleep.

You weren’t aware that Jake lay awake for some time in the darkness with you, sending up every prayer he knew that you and Charlie would give him a chance.

***

The sound of giggling woke you up. _What time is it?_

Your negligee was a band of red satin around your waist and that’s all you were wearing beneath the covers.

You were alone in your bed, the sun shined brightly through the windows of your bedroom.

A quick glance at your phone showed you it was almost 10 AM.

_Well, hell._

Putting yourself together quickly, you headed down to your kitchen. You weren’t incredibly surprised at the scene you found down there.

The island in the center of your kitchen was covered in flour, powdered sugar, eggshells, butter wrappers, and random utensils. Some of it spilled over onto the wooden stools at the end of the island. Some of it spilled over onto the floor.

You shook your head, listening to them talking away about Spongebob.

They were busy at the stove.

You couldn’t keep the grin off your face to see your girl on her knees on a stool, busy stirring eggs on a burner next to Jake who was busy making pancakes.

When she wobbled you almost darted forward, afraid she’d get burned. But Jake caught her. He righted her and grabbed her spatula, checking the scrambled eggs.

“These are perfect,” he told her, sliding the pan away.

“What about the pancakes?” she grinned up at him while your heart crashed in your chest to see the two having so much fun making breakfast. “How many do we have?”

“Count,” Jake invited her.

They still hadn’t noticed you and you were fine with that, watching your girl count the stack of pancakes they made.

“There are six,” she told him.

“Do we need more?” Jake asked as he flipped the one he was working on.

“Well, yeah,” Charlie told him with a side grin. “If me and Mom want any.”

Jake laughed at that with you.

“What are you trying to say exactly?” Jake wanted to know, teasing her.

“That my Daddy used to eat four pancakes and you’re way bigger than he was,” Charlie explained, not pausing a beat.

Was it wrong that you were proud of Charlie in that moment? Normally, any mention of her father caused her to withdraw, grow quiet.

“Mom needs two and I want two.”

“You think you can eat two?” Jake asked as he flipped one out and poured another.

“I think I can,” Charlie told him folding her arms across her chest.

“Really?”

Charlie shrugged after a minute, her smile infectious. “I want to _try_.”

“Two it is,” Jake told her. He pulled down another skillet, prepping it to take the place on the burner where she’d made the eggs. She watched as he showed her how to pour the batter.

“Jake?”

“Yeah?”

“At my school, they said we can bring our Mom or Dad to class next week,” Charlie told him. “to talk about their jobs… And um… If Mom has to go out of town again… would you come to my school?”

Her voice tapered off as she asked the question, breaking your heart a little as you listened, watched. Jake never paused in what he was doing, his body language never changed.

“If your Mom can’t go and she’s okay with it? I’d love to go,” he told her with no hesitation.

“Okay,” she told him, her relieved tone telling you she’d been worried about the possibility.

When she threw her arms around him the next beat, you almost burst into tears. The way he hugged her back, the care he took…

Oh, you had to be careful here. You’d already lost your heart to Jake Jensen. Apparently, Charlie had too. And you weren’t worried at all about losing him to another woman or any relationship problem. You couldn’t have said why…

But how could you survive losing him the way you’d lost Daniel?

Waiting a couple of beats to get yourself under control, and you didn’t want to intrude on their moment, you walked into the kitchen and made your presence known.

“Mom’s up!” Charlie abandoned her post, hopping off the stool to come give you a flour-covered hug in her pink pajamas. You laughed and hugged her tight.

Jake managed breakfast, shooting you a look so hopeful that you had to look away.

Breakfast was fun, all of you chatting. Charlie managed to eat a pancake and a half before dashing off to play that video game she was obsessed with. You watched her head in the direction of your office to play.

“I should probably apologize for that,” Jake told you before finishing his juice.

You shook your head. “She loves that game.”

_She loves you too._

“So an elite military group,” you finally had to say it. “How long?”

Jake’s gaze locked with yours. “Almost eight years.”

Before you could say anything, Jake’s hand covered yours. “Hey, I’m not going to lie to you. What we do sometimes? It’s risky. But we have a great team.”

“Clay is our leader,” Jake explained, his expression open and willing you to listen. “He’s the one who came into the house last week. He’s with Aisha who just joined our group, and she can take care of herself.”

“Cougar is our sniper,” he went on. “He watches our backs. Pooch handles transport for the group. He and his wife had a baby not too long ago.”

So one of them had a family. That was good to know.

You listened as he told you how he came to be in that group, some of the adventures they’d been on. The time they’d spent in Bolivia, letting the world think they were dead? That made you cringe. You couldn’t imagine what Pooch’s wife went through, alone and pregnant, thinking she was a widow.

But it was obvious they were a family. _His_ family. And he cared about them very much.

“You’ll get to meet them if you want,” Jake went on.

That had you grinning. “I think I’d like that.”

Jake’s expression sobered “I just… I know you lost a husband and Charlie lost a father… And it’s asking a lot for you to take chance on… someone like me but…”

You shook your head. He watched you so intently.

“Jake, you’re amazing,” you had to be honest. “I’m just scared. Losing Daniel…”

“I can’t imagine,” he said quietly. “All I can do is ask you to give me a chance anyway. I promise you that I’ll do everything I can to come back to you, both my girls… every time.”

_My girls._ Was that how he thought of you?

That’s when you knew in your heart that Jake was a risk you _had_ to take. It would kill you when he went out just as it did when Daniel was away. But you weren’t a coward. Neither was Charlie.

Letting go of him? How would Charlie ever accept that?

How would _you_?

You stood up, started gathering dishes. “You damned well better come back every time,” you told him, smiling.

Jake followed you, crowded you at the sink. You let the dishes slide out of your hands, sinking back into his warmth. Turning in his arms you meant to kiss him, sealing a covenant of hope for your future.

Jake kissed _you_ breathless until your heart was hammering against his.

“If I remember right,” he whispered in your ear, “you promised me morning sex.” 

Jerking a thumb in the direction of your office, you shook your head. Charlie was up playing her video game.

Jake’s grin was pure mischief. “She uses headphones. And I’m really good at covert operations.”

Hauling you up on a wide shoulder, Jake raced up the stairs in the direction of your bedroom while you helplessly hung on to his shirt.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extra for Halloween.

The Halloween party for the Petunias and their families? A brilliant idea on Michelle’s part. Her husband, April’s father, and Jake took the girls out trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. The other two dads who showed up went with them. The rest of you, the Petunia moms, got started on the Halloween celebration. Spiked punch with baked goods and candy as far as the eye could see.

“What’s in this punch?” Samantha asked, her face skewing up as she took a drink from her cup.

There were two punch bowls. One was fit for a princess, all crystal and pink. The other was enormous and murky green. It was officially the adult punchbowl.

You’d just finished your second cup. Yeah, it didn’t look very appealing. But whatever it was, it was _very_ potent.

Michelle’s sigh was long-suffering. “God only knows. My brother did that.”

You snorted. It was a loud, unladylike sound to be sure. But you _felt_ amazing.

“Jake did this?” you asked, giggling now.

Michelle’s grin looked a lot like his and she shook her head. “Yeah, he did… Are you okay?”

You nodded. You _thought_ you were. Okay, whatever was in that punch had gone straight to your head. Maybe if you ate something?

Michelle braved it, having some of the punch and joining you while you were mostly successful in peeling off the paper of one of the cupcakes you made. Her smile stayed in place as she looked you over. How did you not notice until now how much she and Jake looked alike? Dressed as a queen in a lovely green gown, Princess Aurora’s mom, was just as gorgeous as he was.

“Has Jake seen you yet?” she asked.

Of course, you’d just taken a huge bite of the cupcake at that moment but you did manage to shake your head.

You’d just gotten home from work when they’d met at Michelle’s house. You didn’t want to hold anything up, so you told Jake and Charlie you’d catch them when they got back from going around the neighborhood.

Charlie was dressed like Belle in her lovely little yellow dress and Michelle had styled her hair for you and helped her get ready. Jake had dressed as the beast. You’d laughed at him the other night when he’d ripped the padding out of the costume because, well, he didn’t need it. For the life of you, you didn’t know how he would put up with the headdress for that damn costume. The beast’s head was huge and looked heavy.

But you also knew he wouldn’t let Charlie down. No matter how miserable, he’d wear the damn thing.

You’d thought about dressing up as Mrs. Potts but wearing a huge felt teapot costume didn’t sound all that appealing. You’d opted to be the feather duster instead. You hadn’t gone full-on French maid for the costume. The top was a little revealing but acceptable for a mom. The skirt ended just above your knees and you had your feather duster prop. The fishnets had been on sale in the Halloween store, so you added those with cute little heels.

You were _hoping_ Jake would like it.

You’d helped hand out candy with Michelle, the neighborhood was jumping, when the lot of them came up the walk. April was Aurora, the blue version of the dress, and her father in his kingly outfit looked more like Prince Humperdinck from T _he Princess Bride_ than her animated counterpart.

Charlie looked amazing and you smiled at the yellow ribbons Michelle wove into her hair. Her eyes rounded when she saw you and she made a beeline for you, hugging your legs. “Mom! You look good.”

Hugging her back, you twirled your daughter to see her look. “Not as good as you. Did you get a lot of candy?”

“So much!” She pointed at the two buckets Jake was carrying, stopping when he reached the steps. Setting them down, he pulled off the huge costume head and you laughed to see his glasses fogged and crooked on his face.

The girls grabbed the buckets and darted into the house with April’s dad and the others.

His grin was pure mischief as he gave you the once over. “A French maid?”

“I’m the feather duster,” you pointed out, still feeling the punch you’d had.

You led him into the house, into the party. His hand slid over your ass as you crossed the threshold.

The kids were all excited and digging into their candy. The dads were enjoying the swamp punch and Jake joined them, but he never really took his gaze off you as you chatted up the other moms, talked with the girls.

You and jake helped April keep the table full, got things to help out. Well, _you_ were helping out. Jake managed to grope you every opportunity he could do so without being seen.

He’d crowded you at the sink in the kitchen after your third cup of punch, one hand pulling up the side of your skirt as quickly as he could while you struggled to react.

“Jake, stop,” you whispered only your warning really didn’t sound very warning.

“What’s under here?” he whispered hotly in your ear.

While you tried to get his hand out from under your skirt, those clever fingers plucked at a strap on your garter belt, sliding down to feel the top of one stocking.

“Jake,” you whined, trying to get away from him before he embarrassed you both when someone walked in. His hips held yours there, grinding his cock into your ass as his fingers slid up to make another discovery.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jake was a little loud. His fingers slid into your heated folds, unobstructed and yeah, you were more than a little worked up between the punch and the fact that he was struggling to keep his hands off you.

“No panties?” he whispered, nipping at the shell of your ear with his teeth. “We’ve gotta go.”

“Charlie—”

“Will want to stay with April,” Jake went on, his other hand under your skirt now and you were trying in your tipsy state to get him to stop for now.

“But Michelle—”

“Wants her little brother to be happy.” His tongue teased your ear, one finger circling your clit while you hung onto the counter for dear life.

When April called out for you, Jake moved back from you with a speed that was a little scary. Still facing the sink, you didn’t miss him sucking you off his fingers as you greeted his sister.

The party was winding down. The two of you helped Michelle and her husband take care of the biggest part of the party setup. The girls were already tucked under a blanket, still in costume, on the couch watching _The Nightmare Before Christmas._

“Charlie, you ready to head home?” you called out to her after you found your purse and feather duster.

“Mom, can I stay here?”

Oh, they were both giving you puppy eyes and Michelle’s glance at you and Jake was knowing. “It’s fine with us. I _am_ going to hit you up to keep April a weekend next month because it’s our anniversary.”

“You got it,” Jake told her before flagrantly throwing you over one shoulder and heading out the door with you.

The girls’ delighted squeals erupted behind you and you got to watch their delighted little faces in the window as they waved to you, thinking you getting hauled off caveman style was the funniest thing they’d seen.

Jake unceremoniously tossed you up into the hummer and you were off. You shook your head at him, looking all too pleased with himself as he drove along, and reached for your seatbelt. You didn’t get a chance to throw it on.

Jake pulled off down a narrow dirt road, stopping when he came to what looked like a small parking lot next to the river. No one else was there and the moon was full and bright, its light glittering off the water.

No sooner did you have that thought than Jake literally tossed you into the back onto the cold seat. The hummer was still running and locked, the heat on.

Jake almost frantically pulled the coat and shirt from the beast costume off, popping stitches in his haste. He pushed you back on the seat. Your skirt was thrown up and your thighs pried apart. Jake pressed his face into your wet, aching flesh without delay because he could. His moan was a deep rumble that you felt all through your lower body.

You hung onto him, the alcohol buzzing in your brain, running through your veins like an electrical current. Your fingers slid into his hair as you circled your hips in his face, wanting more, needing more. His tongue was a wicked torment, focusing on your clit with a ruthlessness that had release riding you hard.

Choking back a sob, you felt it coming on. When he worked his fingers into you, you were a goner. You muffled your cries behind your hands as Jake kept at you, drawing out your pleasure until you didn’t know your own name.

You flailed wildly, your head still spinning as he manhandled you. You found yourself panting on your knees, fingers digging into the leather seat as you felt his heavy thighs behind yours. Freeing himself of his pants, you felt the hot, swollen head of him a beat before he pushed into you in one long, sensuous slide that had you fighting to be quiet.

Jake stuffed you full, he always did, and he gave you little time to get ready. His hands gripped your hips tightly, pulling you back onto his cock and fucking you hard as tried to be quiet.

The stinging slap on your ass got your attention.

“Want to hear you,” Jake demanded, the huff of his breath matching yours as he pounded into you. “Want you to scream for me, Sugar.”

And oh, you _did_.

Another swat on your ass made you louder, made you clench around his driving cock. And Jake was a fast learner. He lit up your ass as he fucked you, using just enough force that you had to work to stay in place for him, to stay upright.

“No panties the entire party,” he muttered as he moved in you. “Wanted to fuck you over the sink… so fucking bad.” _Smack._ “Wanted to pull you into… the bathroom.” _Smack._

When that hand smoothed over your heated cheek, his cock not letting up, it slid down to where your bodies joined. Where you were weeping all over his cock, your thighs.

Dropping himself over you, Jake’s lips were soft by your ear. “Oh, that’s working for you, isn’t it, Sugar?”

His fingers teased your clit, sliding easily on all your juices. His thrusts were hard, unrelenting. Your core clenched around him hard. You needed to come _so_ badly.

_Smack._

“You like this?” Jake whispered. “Like me fucking you like a beast?”

_Smack._

Your sob was loud.

The rhythm of Jake’s hips picked up. He went at you harder, faster.

_Smack._

“Your pussy is so wet,” he taunted you. “Grabs me like a fist…” _Smack._ “Every time…”

_Smack._

“Gonna ride you… until you can’t walk tomorrow,” his voice was low and dirty, his hot breath pelting your skin.

_Smack._

You didn’t know how the fuck he was holding on. When his tongue slid into your ear, you were lost. Screaming, crying out, clenching around him like a vice though you couldn’t hold him in place, couldn’t make him stop driving into you as the world spun before your eyes.

You heard him deep and guttural behind you, pulling you back onto his cock in a frenzy as he came, his movements powerful enough to rock the enormous hummer.

The leather was softer than it looked beneath you and you were warm. Jake had pretty much dropped over you but somehow, he wasn’t too heavy, wasn’t crushing the breath from you.

When he realized you were awake, his fingers swept your hair back from your face. “Hey, there…. You okay?”

And there was your adorable dork. You smiled. You just couldn’t help it.

“I’m wonderful,” you whispered.

“That wasn’t too much?” The note of worry in his voice had your heart clenching.

You shook your head. “It was perfect… I just need to go to bed now.”

Your thighs were sore, your ass was still burning. You could feel his release seeping out of you.

“How about a bath together when we get home?” he offered. His hands gentle as they roamed over you.

“I like that idea, Best Buy.”


	7. Chapter 7

The house was quiet when you got home from work. Did the Petunias have practice today? Had you forgotten? Checking the calendar on the fridge, no, there wasn’t one of Charlie’s Petunia stickers so no practice. Maybe they’d gone to the store?

Jake Jensen had moved in with you and Charlie a month ago. That first week, the team took him out of the country for some super-secret mission. You spent the week hoping you’d made the right call for you and your daughter by agreeing to live together.

When Jake came back, things _changed_.

When Clay didn’t physically need him, which was much of the time, Jake worked from your house. He’d taken over your small office with a slew of computers, servers, and shit you couldn’t identify. The room looked like the command center for NASA honestly. He’d told you on more than one occasion that you were free to use his laptop for anything you needed.

Yeah, you were a little intimidated despite his assurances that you couldn’t possibly do anything he couldn’t fix.

_Right._ Might as well just stamp “Techno-dunce” across your forehead.

But you rarely caught Jake working in there. You knew he did while Charlie was at school and you were at work. When Charlie got home?

Charlie was home from school a couple of hours before you got out of work. It was _very nice_ financially not to pay for after school care. The days Jake was gone, Charlie just went home with April, his niece, until you could pick her up.

Once she got home, Jake helped your daughter get her homework done if there wasn’t soccer practice. Then they set about making dinner. You’d come home to music blaring from the kitchen, pots, pans, and gadgets sprawled over every inch of counter space. Food wrappers, sticks of butter, and spices were scattered about as they worked.

Jake was a good cook, and he made the experience so much fun, Charlie was always right there with him. And she was learning which was a good thing. A life skill. They made wonderful dinners, everything from pot roast with all the sides to elaborate Italian dishes. You couldn’t complain. Without the burden of deciding what was for dinner _and_ having to make it, you didn’t mind cleaning up. Jake usually helped you do that anyway, all hands when Charlie wasn’t around.

Jake even cleaned up after himself, helped clean.

You hummed as you dropped your purse and tote from the office and wandered back out into the living room. You had texts from Jake.

_Best Buy: Taking Charlie to spend the night with April._

That had you grinning. A Friday night to yourselves? That sounded promising.

_Best Buy: April got a new puppy._

“Fuck,” you said to no one.

Oh, you _knew_ how _this_ was going to go. And Jake loved dogs.

_Best Buy: Dinner is covered. Can’t wait to get home._

_Home._ You could just picture that goofy grin of his when he typed that.

_Can’t wait until you get here._

Something else you’d learned about Jake at Halloween? He was pretty damned adventurous in the bedroom. Jake had always been eager to please you. But lately, when the opportunity presented itself, he was all about learning new ways to take you apart.

You’d underestimated him. He had a _wild_ imagination.

Well, so did you. When he finally swept in, carrying take-out bags from the new Cajun restaurant you’d been dying to try, you almost forgot to look sultry on the couch. It was warm so you were comfortable in the slinky little negligee you’d bought to surprise him the next time you two were on your own.

It was hard not to laugh at the way Jake stopped dead in his tracks, his gaze roaming over every inch of you and most of you wasn’t covered.

“You stopped at Bayou Betty’s?” you asked with a sweet smile, acting as if you always waited on the couch for him dressed like this.

Jake absently nodded, jostling the bags he just remembered he was carrying. Dashing to your dining table, he dumped everything there before making a beeline for you.

“How hungry are you?” Jake asked as he scooped you off the couch, placing you on his lap and kissing you until you couldn’t breathe while his hands roamed free.

“Depends, Best Buy,” you managed to break the kiss as one of his hands slid up under the hem of flimsy lingerie you were wearing. “What’s for dinner?”

Jake groaned, plucking off his glasses before blazing a trail down your neck with his lips while that hand dove into your barely-there panties.

Oh, you weren’t going to let him off that hook that easily. “What did you bring for dinner?”

Oh, he _did_ know what he was doing with those big fingers. He had your core melting in seconds.

“Jumbalaya?”

His teeth nipped at your ear. “Gumbo.”

_Even better._

“A po’ boy?”

The way he teased the shell of your ear with his lips while his thumb settled over your clit had you squirming in his grip.

“A sandwich?” Jake nipped at your ear again. “Did better than that.”

“Like?”

“Étouffée… blackened catfish…” Jake reclaimed your lips in a way that let you know he didn’t plan on letting up. “I even got beignets,” he whispered against your lips.

You really _were_ hungry. But he was working you up fast.

“I can eat fast,” you told him, bargaining.

At that Jake stopped, easing back to look you in the eye.

Damn, he was _fine_ with all that excited color in his face, those blue eyes lit up with excitement.

“Sugar, you can’t just let me walk in with you wearing _this_ ,” his voice was breathy as two fingers slid inside you, his thumb teasing your clit in a way that left you craving, “and expect me to eat anything but _you_.”

Well, when he put it that way…

Apparently, you didn’t look convinced.

“I’ll throw in a massage after dinner,” he bargained back.

Jake didn’t even give you time to think about it. He moved down the couch, pulling you until you were flat beneath him and panting. To his credit, he did manage to pull your panties off without doing them damage. Then he dove for you with his mouth.

The man’s oral skills were always good. But now that he’d learned what would make you desperate, make you scream his name until he stopped? Jake used those skills to his advantage. As your hands clutched in his hair and you twisted as his tongue wrote code on the pearl at the heated center of you, you thought you remembered the conversation about him moving in with you going the same way. By the time he had three fingers in you, moving them in time with the strokes of his tongue you were gasping, crying out loudly, just the way he liked when Charlie wasn’t home.

Jake moaned into your soaking flesh and you were _right there_ , on the edge of an epic release…

Then he stopped. His fingers? His tongue? Gone…

_Beautiful dork._

“That’s not… cool,” you told him, trying to breathe. Trying to sit up.

Jake took advantage of your position to whisk the negligee completely off you, leaning in to tease a nipple with his lips and tongue.

Then he gently pushed you back down on the couch, leaving you sprawled beneath him and watching him strip off with the efficiency of a SWAT team.

And you’d _never_ get tired of that view. All his workout gear was in the basement though you’d never seen him do that either. But you could enjoy the results. His upper body was sculpted and gorgeous. The few scars he had couldn’t mar the perfection of all those heavy muscles. The rest of him was just as powerful from his slim waist and muscular thighs. And his…

When Jake grabbed your legs, you were ready for him and then some.

But he didn’t do what you expected. Pressing your legs together, he pushed them towards your chest. Jake folded you in half like a dollar bill with your feet over your head.

“Jake?” _What was he doing?_

When he pulled your ass down until it almost touched the armrest, you knew you were staring at him. Sure, you didn’t mind trying new things in bed but…

Jake straddled you. Honest-to-fuck straddled you with one foot next to your head and the other on the armrest by your ass. What in the hell was he…

“Wait,” you said breathlessly as you watched him take himself in hand, that gorgeous cock swollen and twitching. _Okay, that I like._ “Is this something from that… Avengers porno you made me watch… the other night?”

“That you fell asleep on?” his voice was teasing.

“You fucked the shit out of me,” you reminded him breathlessly, “after the Hulk and Black Widow scene. Remember?”

When Jake pressed the head of himself against your soaking entrance, you moaned.

“That was hot,” his voice was rough now. “Not as hot as this is going to be…”

When he slid down into you, the position had your pussy tight around him, Jake paused. “Oh, fuck this is nice…”

“Who… who did this in the porno?” you wanted to know, realizing you must have been asleep for that one. You sure as well weren’t asleep now. He was hitting all different places in you, sparks of pleasure lighting up your lower body even in the crazy, folded position you were in.

“Thor,” Jake told you, easing out of you before darting back in. Grinding into you, his hands gripped the back of the couch behind him. “With his hammer in hand… I kind of look… like Thor.”

You shook your head. “No… You remind me of someone else though…”

Jake lifted, pulling almost completely out before pushing in harder.

“Why don’t you get to work,” you grabbed at his legs to hold on, “and use _your_ hammer.”

It might not have been the best thing to say.

You moved to have a better view of Jake as he figured out a way to move, to establish a rhythm. Jake made it look easy and you could just tell from the way his eyes would squeeze shut, the way his jaw slackened that he was enjoying this, the position you were in making your channel a tight space. When you clamped around him, he made a sobbing sound you felt deep in your core. When you squeezed your thighs together even tighter, he really began to fuck into you like a man possessed.

It was working for _you_ too.

The swollen length of him felt good like that, hitting your g-spot in a subtle way that was driving you crazy. It was just enough stimulation to send electric currents up your spine, but not enough to get you off. Your fingers dug into his legs, your walls grabbed at him, trying to get more attention to that magical little space inside you.

Jake was panting, working you fast, and you _knew_ he was close. You tried to tighten around him even more, hoping to bring him off. Jake wouldn’t leave you hanging, you knew that.

“Nuh-uh,” he managed, a sheen of sweat over his body, color running up his chest and neck to his gorgeous face. “No, you don’t.”

“What are you going to do about it, Best Buy?” You taunted him, squeezing again.

Jake needed the hand on the back of the couch to brace himself. The one on his thigh moved to smooth over your ass, the pad of his finger tracing circles around your clit, closing in as his movements within you sped up. By the time the devilish fucker was putting just enough pressure on your clit, he’d figured out how hit your g-spot in that position and he had you howling. Your channel convulsed around him as you came and came again, your pussy weeping around him as he drilled into you fast and furious, finding his own end on the heels of yours.

Jake’s entire body shook as he eased off the couch, his hands carefully on you as he helped you unfold. You were grateful for the help because he’d worked you hard in that position and you weren’t the most limber girl.

“You okay, Sugar?” he whispered, helping you to sit up on the couch.

You nodded as he fished the negligee out of the floor, eyeing you while he helped you put it back on. You knew _that_ look. There was going to be a round two and your new lingerie probably wouldn’t last the night.

“Feel like I got hit by a bus,” you said with a laugh.

But you instantly regretted it because worry bled into his expression, those blue, blue eyes.

“Did I hurt you?” His hands moved carefully over you.

“No. So was worth it if you had,” you told him. You’d be feeling it tomorrow.

Sliding his hand along your cheek, he gazed into your eyes. “Cajun cuisine?”

Your heart shifted in your chest at that gentle expression. When exactly had you fallen in love with this man?

You nodded, letting him kiss you carefully before he dressed and went about serving up dinner.

It didn’t take long until it was just the two of you at the table enjoying dinner. He’d even found candles.

“I’m not sure I should let you watch porn often,” you teased him.

You loved that lopsided grin of his, the way his gaze roamed over you like he didn’t want to look away.

“Want to do Hulk and Black Widow next?”

“No!” He laughed at your immediate reaction. That _had_ looked painful. “I’m pretty sure that would put me in the hospital.”

You sampled the Étouffée, closing your eyes to savor that symphony of flavors. You’d _always_ loved Cajun food.

To your surprise, it was… a little bland. It even tasted a little funny.

“This is good,” Jake murmured as he ate.

You nodded, deciding not to say anything. He’d brought you a wonderful dinner and you’d enjoy it with him, make him happy.

Your phones hummed and pinged at the same time. You didn’t feel like finding your purse but fortunately, Jake had his in his pocket. He grinned as he read the message and then showed you the picture his sister sent of the girls, the new puppy.

The big yellow letters on the picture.

CAN I HAVE ONE TOO? PWEASE???

Shaking your head, you continued to eat.

Yeah, you knew where _that_ was going. There would soon be a new member of the family.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake’s invited The Losers to your house for a cookout so you can officially meet them. You also have some unexpected news to share with the man who has stolen your heart. How will he react? Are you ready for what comes next?

Another knock on the bathroom door. You swore under your breath, fighting your heaving stomach as you sat next to the toilet.

“Jake, please go down and make sure the mac and cheese doesn’t burn.” You sounded pitiful and felt worse.

“It’s Michelle,” Jake’s sister called from the other side of the door. “Are you okay?”

You blew out a sigh.

Jake was _so_ excited about today. You were having the team over for a cookout and while you’d technically met them before, today would make it official.

You’d been looking forward to today. You’d heard so many stories about each of them, you honestly felt like you knew them now. The house was cleaned up, most of the food was ready, and everyone was due to show up in the next hour.

And here you were. You’d been sick since you got up this morning.

You were afraid you knew exactly _why_.

“Can I come in?”

Moving along the floor, you reached out to unlock the door. Michelle carefully opened it and peered in.

“Are you okay?” Concern clouded her blue eyes and she got into the floor with you.

You nodded. “I’m fine. I just need to get myself together so I can get back to the kitchen.”

“Jake’s got it covered.” Michelle smiled. “I guess it’s a bad time to tell you that he’s making that punch again.”

Just the thought of all that alcohol had your stomach threatening to lurch. Fortunately, there was nothing left in it to come up.

“Not that you can have _that_ ,” Michelle muttered, rising to find a washcloth and running it under warm water.

“What?” You couldn’t have heard her right.

Rejoining you on the floor, Michelle held the washcloth out to you. She smiled. A less goofy version of Jake’s smile.

“I’m guessing you haven’t told him,” Michelle said, watching you dab at your face. “I would know.”

Michelle had guessed correctly then. _Damn_.

The worries gnawing at your mind rushed to the front.

“How _am_ I going to tell him?” you asked. “He’s excited about me meeting the team finally. And I’m supposed to turn around and dump a baby on him?”

Michelle’s smile didn’t waver. “He had something to do with that.”

“He had a _lot_ to do with that,” you replied, grinning. “I’m on the pill though. I didn’t think…”

His sister’s expression sobered. “Do you want the baby?”

That was an easy question to answer. “Yes. It was a shock but we’d… I’d always hoped to have at least two.”

You and Daniel had hoped to have two or three children. But he was gone. You and Jake had never talked about the future though. Marriage. More kids. You were just grateful he was so good with Charlie and cared about her. Living together had seemed a huge step to you and that had been just over a month.

Her smiled returned. “Then I wouldn’t worry about a thing. I know my brother.”

You hoped she was right.

“Jake’s happy with you,” Michelle went on. She meant it. “I’ve never seen him like this. And he’s crazy about Charlie.”

That had you smiling. You knew she was right. And Charlie sure loved him.

Jake would definitely be a good father to his own child. You just hoped he wanted it. Because if he didn’t or he panicked…

“Hey,” Michelle pulled you into a hug. “Trust me.”

“Thank you,” you told her as she helped you off the floor. “I’ve just got to figure out how to tell him. I’m surprised he hasn’t guessed. I cry all the time now. I know you’re probably right, but it doesn’t feel right just saying… hey, I’m knocked… up.”

You burst into tears, Michelle held onto you, trying to soothe you.

“Mom?”

Swiping at your eyes with your washcloth, you tried to steady yourself. “In here.”

Charlie’s eyes were huge on you. “Are you okay?”

You held your arms out to her. “I’m fine, honey. I’m just fine.”

Your little girl didn’t look convinced when she backed out of your hug, but she was there for a reason. “Jake said to tell you the losers are here.”

“What?” _The who?_

Michelle laughed. “The team. The Losers.”

You smiled. _Of course_. “Tell him we’ll be right there.”

Charlie nodded, skipping away.

“I hope I’m ready for this,” you admitted.

“They’re great,” Michelle assured you. “You’ll love them.”

She helped you sort your appearance before you both headed downstairs to find the girls crowded around the laptop Jake let Charlie use even though it made you worry. Should you give a laptop that looked like it cost more than your car to a child?

You heard laughter from out back. Jake already had everyone set up in the backyard.

You followed Michelle out the kitchen door where her husband was chatting with the group you remembered from that first Petunias game, the day you met Jake. He was laughing with the handsome one in the weathered hat at the grill when he spotted you.

Jake’s blue eyes lit up, that smile sending your heart flying. “There she is.”

Your stomach’s threat was a mild rumble when the smell of cooking burgers and hot dogs reached you.

Sending up every prayer you knew you didn’t embarrass yourself, you eased your way down the stairs letting Jake pull you into a big hug. He kept an arm around your waist as he turned to face his friends.

“Sugar, these are losers,” he motioned to his friends with a wide grin. And they were good sports about it, smiling at you warmly.

“Losers, this is my girl,” Jake told them, and you didn’t miss the pride in his expression.

The first one to reach you was the team leader, Clay. As big as Jake and gorgeous with silver threaded through his dark hair. His hug was solid, his voice deep whiskey in your ear.

“Welcome to the family,” he told you. “And thank you. You’ve somehow made him a better soldier.”

“Really?”

Clay eased back from you, not caring who heard him. “He is. Shits Tiffany cufflinks now just so he can get back to his girls.”

The man meant it. But you didn’t have a lot of time to think about that because you were passed to softer arms. Aisha was with Clay and she was beautiful with big luminous eyes and a smile a model would kill for.

“Thank you for having us over,” she said.

“Thank you for coming over,” you replied. “I’m happy to meet you.”

Pooch and his wife were next. They had an adorable son with a beautiful smile who was just about to turn one.

The one in the hat was Cougar and while he didn’t have a lot to say, you liked his warm dark eyes, the protective position he took no matter where everyone was in the yard. It reminded you in an odd way of Daniel.

Michelle herded the girls outside and away from the video game so you could all eat. You should have been helping Jake get everything served up, but Michelle steered you to one of the picnic tables and sat you down. Jake cut you a curious glance from the grill but didn’t say anything.

You picked at your food while Charlie watched you with big, concerned eyes. Jake sat on your other side, trading jabs with the team. They told outrageous stories that had all of you laughing. It worked out for you because they were all so entertained that no one seemed to notice you weren’t able to eat at all.

And you were able to forget being sick for a few minutes. Able to stop worrying about how in the world you were going to tell Jake…

Jake stood up finally and you were about to chide him from being drunk, but you realized that at the moment, he wasn’t. Everyone else had a beer or two, but things hadn’t gotten too wild.

You did wonder what he was up to.

“Guys, thank you for coming today,” Jake told them. “to meet my girls.”

Now, he was looking at you nervously. _What was this?_

Carefully, he took your hands in his, motioning Charlie to him too. Now you really wondered what he was up as he helped you up from the picnic table to stand next to him. Your daughter stopped at his other side.

Your heart flew when he took a knee in front of Charlie.

“Do you remember what we talked about yesterday?” he asked her.

“That you couldn’t take my Daddy’s place, but you’d take care of me and Mom for him?” Charlie nodded all smiles. “Yep.”

You were blinking back tears.

“That’s right,” Jake whispered, his hands trembling.

“You’re my Jake,” she said, throwing herself into his arms with all she had.

“Just wanted to make sure,” he said, holding her with his voice shaking just a little.

You were swiping at tears when Jake rose and turned to you now, taking your hands in his before lowering to one knee. Your heart flew, time seemed to stop as he gazed up at you with sincere blue eyes. The gentle way he whispered your name made it sound like a prayer.

“I love you,” Jake said as if you and Charlie were the only other people in the world. “I love Charlie. I love us together. Our family.”

Could you love this man more?

Reaching into the pocket of his jeans, he pulled out a ring box and opened it. A gorgeous diamond solitaire gleamed against the black velvet of that little box as he held it up to you.

“Would you marry me?” Jake asked softly. “Keep me?”

You burst into tears, you couldn’t help it. You were pretty sure you muttered yes and nodded. You weren’t sure. Jake’s blinding smile as he rose to kiss you led you to believe that you’d accepted his proposal. In your heart, you absolutely had.

Your friends cheered you on, Charlie hugged both of you. Jake managed to slide the gorgeous ring onto your finger. It fit perfectly.

_Just like he fit into your lives_.

You were still swiping away tears when Michelle came up to congratulate you. You hugged her as Jake’s team joked with him, very obviously happy for him.

You finally made it to the table to grab a napkin, to try and stop the damned tears. Jake was still smiling, coming around to wrap an arm around you while Michelle served the girls ice cream.

Jake looked just a little concerned. “I hope those are happy tears,” he told you.

“Mom’s not crying because she’s happy,” Charlie told him from the other side of the table, ice cream already on the tip of her nose. “She’s crying because she’s knocked up.”

_Oh. God._ Charlie had heard you talk to Michelle.

Clay and Pooch burst out laughing. Aisha smacked Clay on the back and Pooch’s wife shook her head at him, their son on her hip. Cougar at least turned around before you saw him start laughing.

Jake froze next to you.

“Well, Jensen, you always _were_ efficient,” Clay said loudly.

“I’m so sorry,” Aisha told you.

Gentle fingers tipped your chin until your gaze was on Jake. “Sugar? Are you…?”

Blowing out an exhale, you nodded. Your heart hurt as you waited…

Would he be happy? Would he…

“Really?” Jake slowly smiled, his gaze roaming down to your still-flat tummy.

“I haven’t done a test yet,” you said, sniffling. “But I’m pretty sure… I’ve done this before.”

Jake’s smile widened, those blue eyes a little shiny. “I’m going to be a daddy?”

That stopped Charlie who stared at you now.

“Your Mom is having a baby?” April looked excited.

Charlie jumped up and ran around to you. You were so relieved to see the happiness on your little girl’s face, especially with how this was going.

You nodded. “I think so,” you said slowly looking from her to Jake and back.

You saw Daniel for just a second in your girl’s face before she wrapped her arms around your waist.

Jake wrapped his arms around both of you.

***

Michelle took Charlie home with her to give you and Jake some alone time to talk.

The cookout went on for a couple more hours with the guys having drinks and telling stories. You ladies told stories of your own and you realized that you really liked Aisha and Jolene, Pooch’s wife. April and Charlie played with Pooch’s son, excited about Charlie’s baby sister – she was very sure it would be a girl – and April’s cousin.

Both girls were only children and you’d avoided the subject after Daniel died because you didn’t know if you’d ever find someone else, much less have more children. Now you learned that it was something Charlie very much wanted, and she promised to share with April who flat out asked her parents if she could have a baby sister too.

The nerves slowly faded and that was a good thing since you couldn’t have a drink. Jake kept an eye on you the entire time, looking ready to come rescue you if you needed it. 

You were comfortable, already in bed while Jake showered. It was just after midnight. Your mind was still going a mile a minute. You were engaged and pregnant. Charlie was happy. Jake seemed on top of the world.

_Just maybe everything would be okay._

“Hey,” Jake whispered close to your ear.

You’d dozed off. Jake was stretched out on the bed next to you, his long muscular form on top of the covers while you were under them. Jake wore his glasses and a red pair of boxer briefs, grinning as your gaze roamed over all those muscles as you tried to shake off the cobwebs of sleep.

“How are you feeling?” he asked gently.

“I’m okay,” you promised him. “I’m not feeling sick right now. That’s good.”

Jake had that look in his eye like he was up to something.

“What?” you wanted to know.

“Cougar ran out before everyone left and got a couple of tests,” Jake told you, his blue eyes hopeful.

Playfully, you folded your arms across your chest. “You require proof?”

He laughed. “No, I was just thinking that we could confirm it. And we could do that together.”

The damn tears were creeping back, stinging the backs of your eyes.

“Jake, are you sure…”

Jake pulled you to him carefully for a kiss. “Sugar, don’t ask me that. I wouldn’t have asked you to marry me if I didn’t want all of it. You. Charlie. More kids.”

You nodded, a couple of tears escaping despite your best efforts.

“Do _you_ want…” He started carefully.

“Michelle asked me that,” you cut him off. “Of course I do. It was just a surprise. I’ve been on the pill the entire time, you know.”

Jake’s grin had your heart squeezing in your chest. He looked so happy.

“My swimmers are _powerful_ ,” he told you looking _way_ too pleased with himself, preening. “The pill couldn’t stop them.”

Oh, you’d never hear the end of this. You shook your head.

“Want to do the test?” Jake asked. “Make it official?”

You were smiling. You were crying. You were a _mess_.

“Oh, why not?”

Jake barely gave you the privacy you needed to pee on the stick. Sure enough, it wasn’t long until the second blue line showed up in the window, confirming that you were indeed pregnant.

Jake was elated, wrapping you up in his arms in the quiet of the bathroom until you could barely breathe. Scooping you up, he carried you back into the bedroom. You loved that he was brawny enough to climb up into the bed with you.

“So what happens next?” Jake stretched out next to you, making you a little self-conscious in just his t-shirt as his gaze roamed over you. Propping up his head with one hand, the other skimmed over your body.

“I’ll need to find a doctor,” you explained. You hadn’t gotten around to doing that since you’d moved here. “And we’ll go from there.”

His big hand slid down to cover your tummy, lingering there. When his finger traced the line of the scar low on your belly from Charlie’s birth, you knew he was concerned.

You slid your hand over his. “There’s a pretty good chance that this baby will be delivered by c-section too. But it’ll be okay. They do those all the time.”

Jake’s gaze met yours, his blue eyes hopeful.

“We should probably tie the knot before she gets here,” Jake’s grin returned.

“She?” You shook your head. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Charlie. It’s way too early to know if it’s a boy or girl at this point.”

“But you’re still going to marry me?” Jake moved closer, his hand sliding out from under yours and lifting it to cup the side of your face.

“I am,” you assured him.

His kiss was gentle, a promise sealed by lips and hearts. When Jake moved over you, you welcomed his warmth, the security of his solid form all around you. He kissed you for long moments while you wrapped yourself around him. Jake’s slender hips were cradled by your thighs, the warm silken flesh covering all those muscles under your hands.

You plucked off his glasses a beat before you felt him gently pushing your panties down. You helped him slide his boxers down, wanting to be one with him.

When strong fingers found their way into your folds, Jake groaned to find you soaking, needing him.

“You ready for me, Sugar?” he whispered low in your ear.

“Yes.” You needed him so badly.

“I need to be careful with you,” he said against the slim column of your neck. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

You gasped as he carefully slid into you. “You won’t… Just probably shouldn’t do that Thor’s Hammer thing again until after…”

Jake shook in your arms, chuckling as he began to move in you. His movements were slow, sensual, keeping his weight off you. Wrapped around each other, he loved you slowly. Your walls stretched around him, savoring the way he filled you. Your heart flew at the care he took with you, the way he made you feel treasured.

You were already on the edge of release when his hand slid between you, his fingers teasing your clit until you flew apart, clenching desperately around him as you writhed and cried out. It was only then that Jake sped up, his thrusts harder, faster as he worked for his own release. When he found it, your name was torn from his lips. His heart pounded against yours as he held you tight, as you trembled against each other.

You ended up in Jake’s arms, your head against his chest. His fingers traced circuits over your shoulder and back.

“I’ll be a stay-at-home dad,” he said out of the blue.

You smiled. “We’ve got time to figure it all out. I’m sleepy.”

Jake brushed a kiss to the top of your head. “I love you.”

“I love you, Best Buy.”

And you were dozing. You’d forgotten how tired pregnancy made you feel.

He shifted after a few minutes and you just knew what he was doing. He’d gotten on his phone.

“Please tell me you’re not already shopping,” you murmured.

“Nah.” Jake blew out an exhale. “These baby monitors are shit. I’m thinking a whole surveillance setup in the baby’s room. That way, we won’t miss anything.”

You smiled. There was no doubt that he would do just that.

Yes, he was Charlie’s Jake. But he was your Jake too.

And you were keeping him.

THE END


End file.
